The Story of Troy Part 10

The cavalry with steeds and cars he placed In front. A vast and valiant mult.i.tude Of infantry he stationed in the rear, To be the bulwark of the war. Between He made the faint of spirit take their place, That, though unwillingly, they might be forced To combat with the rest.

BRYANT, _Iliad_, Book IV.

Then he gave strict orders to the charioteers, warning them not to trust too much to their valor, or rashly advance in front of their comrades.

"Let no man, too vain of horsemanship, And trusting in his valor, dare advance Beyond the rest to attack the men of Troy, Nor let him fall behind the rest, to make Our ranks the weaker. Whoso from his car Can reach an enemy's, let him stand and strike With his long spear, for 'tis the shrewder way."

BRYANT, _Iliad_, Book IV.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

VIII. THE FIRST GREAT BATTLE.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Design by Burne-Jones._]

Nearly three books of the Iliad are occupied in telling about the battle that now followed, though it lasted only one day. But it was a fierce and mighty conflict in which many brave warriors fought and fell.

For that day Saw many a Trojan slain, and many a Greek, Stretched side by side upon the b.l.o.o.d.y field.

BRYANT, _Iliad_, Book IV.

All the chiefs of both armies took part in this battle, except Achilles, who still remained inactive at his ships, "indignant for the sake of the fair-haired Briseis." The heroes of the day on the Trojan side were Hector and aeneas. Of the Greeks (also sometimes called A-cha'ians) none performed so many feats of valor as Diomede (or Diomed), also called Ty-di'des, from the name of his father, Ty'deus. He was the particular favorite of Minerva, who caused a bright light to shine from his shield and helmet, which made him a striking figure in the field, and very terrible to the enemy.

Pallas to Tydides Diomed Gave strength and courage, that he might appear Among the Achaians greatly eminent, And win a glorious name. Upon his head And shield she caused a constant flame to play, Like to the autumnal star that shines in heaven Most brightly when new-bathed in ocean tides.

Such light she caused to beam upon his crest And shoulders, as she sent the warrior forth Into the thick and tumult of the fight.

BRYANT, _Iliad_, Book V.

Diomede slew many brave warriors, and often, breaking through the close ranks of the Trojans, drove them back towards their walls, before he himself was smitten with an arrow sent flying at him by the archer Pandarus. The weapon pierced his shoulder right through, and the blood came streaming down his armor. Then Pandarus shouted to his comrades to advance, boasting that now the bravest of the Greeks was fatally wounded. But Diomede prayed to Minerva for aid, and his prayer was heard. Immediately the G.o.ddess appeared and stood beside him, and in an instant healed his wound. Then she encouraged him, saying: "Henceforth fight with confidence, O Diomede. I have given you great strength. I have also removed from your eyes the mortal mists which heretofore were upon them, so that now you may know G.o.ds from men. Beware, however, of using your weapons against any G.o.d, unless Venus should come into the battle. Her I desire and command you to wound."

[Ill.u.s.tration: MINERVA.

_Vatican, Rome._]

With fresh courage and increased fury Diomede again rushed into the conflict, striking down a Trojan with every blow of his huge sword.

aeneas, noticing his exploits, hastily sought out Pandarus and begged him to aim an arrow at the man who was thus destroying their ranks.

"That man," said Pandarus, "very much resembles the warlike son of Tydeus, and if it be he, some G.o.d is surely at his side to protect him, for only a little ago I smote him in the shoulder, and I thought I had sent him to Pluto's kingdom. Of small use it seems is this bow of mine.

Already I have aimed at two chiefs, Menelaus and Diomede, and wounded both, but I have only roused them the more to heroic deeds."

"In an evil hour I took my bow and quiver from the wall And came to lead the Trojans for the sake Of Hector. But if ever I return To see my native country and my wife And my tall s.p.a.cious mansion, may some foe Strike off my head if with these hands I fail To break my bow in pieces, casting it Into the flames, a useless weapon now."

BRYANT, _Iliad_, Book V.

But aeneas made the great archer try his skill once more. Taking Pandarus with him in his own chariot, he drove rapidly to where Diomede was dealing death amongst the Trojans with his terrible sword. Sthen'e-lus, the companion and charioteer of Diomede, saw them coming, and he advised his friend to retreat, and not risk his life in a contest with two such heroes as aeneas and Pandarus, one the son of a G.o.ddess, and the other excelling all men in the use of the bow. But Diomede sternly refused to retire from the conflict. Nor would he even consent to mount his chariot as Sthenelus urged him to do.

"As I am," said he, "I shall advance against them, for Minerva has made me fearless. And if it be my fortune to slay both, do you, Sthenelus, seize the horses of aeneas and drive them into the ranks of the Greeks.

Valuable prizes they will be, for they are of that heavenly breed which Jupiter gave to King Tros as the price of his son Ganymede."

But now the chariot of aeneas was close at hand. This time Pandarus used his spear, which he launched with great force. It struck the shield of Diomede and, piercing it through, fixed itself in his breastplate. With a shout of joy Pandarus exclaimed, "Now, I think, I have given you your death wound."

"Not so," replied the son of Tydeus, "thou hast missed thy aim, but one of you, at least, shall die." As he spoke he hurled his lance. Directed by Minerva, the weapon flew right into the face of the unfortunate Pandarus, striking him lifeless to the earth.

Headlong he falls, his helmet knocks the ground; Earth groans beneath him, and his arms resound.

POPE, _Iliad_, Book V.

Instantly aeneas leaped down from his chariot, with his shield and spear, to defend the body of his heroic comrade against being despoiled by the Greeks. This was one of the customs of war in those times. When a hero was slain in battle the enemy carried off his arms and armor as trophies of victory. But aeneas did his best to protect the corpse of his fallen friend from being thus dishonored.

Watchful he wheels, protects it every way, As the grim lion stalks around his prey.

O'er the fall'n trunk his ample shield displayed, He hides the hero with his mighty shade, And threats aloud! the Greeks with longing eyes Behold at distance, but forbear the prize.

POPE, _Iliad_, Book V.

But Diomede, braver than the rest, took up a great stone and hurled it at aeneas.

Not two strong men the enormous weight could raise, Such men as live in these degenerate days.

POPE, _Iliad_, Book. V.

It struck the Trojan hero on the hip, tearing the flesh and crushing the joint. He sank upon his knees, a dark mist covering his eyes. And now aeneas would have perished by the sword of the furious Diomede had not his mother, Venus, come quickly to his aid. With her shining robe the G.o.ddess shielded his body, and spreading her arms about him she bore him away from the battle. Then Sthenelus, not forgetting the bidding of his friend, rushed forward, and, seizing the fleet steeds of the Dardan prince, drove them off to the Grecian camp.

But Diomede went in pursuit of Venus. He had seen and recognized her as she descended on the field, Minerva having given him power of sight to know G.o.ds from men. The G.o.ddess also, as we have seen, commanded him to wound Venus should she come into the field. Diomede, therefore, when he had overtaken Venus, as she was bearing away the Trojan hero, thrust at her with his lance, and pierced the skin of her tender hand. From the wound out gushed the I'chor, as the blood of the G.o.ds was called.

The ichor,--such As from the blessed G.o.ds may flow; for they Eat not the wheaten loaf, nor drink dark wine; And therefore they are bloodless, and are called Immortal.

BRYANT, _Iliad_, Book V.

Crying aloud with pain, the G.o.ddess dropped her son from her arms, but Apollo enveloped him in a thick cloud, thus saving him from the wrath of the furious Greeks. Meanwhile the swift-footed Iris hastened down from heaven to the aid of Venus, whom she conducted to where Mars sat on the left of the battlefield, watching the conflict. At the entreaty of his wounded sister.

Mars resigned to her his steeds With trappings of bright gold. She climbed the car, Still grieving, and, beside her, Iris took Her seat, and caught the reins and plied the lash.

On flew the coursers, on, with willing speed, And soon were at the mansion of the G.o.ds On high Olympus.

BRYANT, _Iliad_, Book V.

There the G.o.ddess was affectionately received by her mother, Di-o'ne, who begged her to be patient, reminding her that in times past others of the G.o.ds had suffered by the hands of men. Mars, she said, was chained in a brazen cell for fifteen months by the giants O'tus and Eph-i-al'tes, and he would perhaps have perished there but that Mercury set him free by stealing into the cell, and slipping the chains out of the rings to which they were fastened. Juno herself, and Pluto, the G.o.d of Hades, were wounded by Hercules. "As for this son of Tydeus," said Dione, "who has dared to war upon an immortal, he shall be punished for his crime."

"The fool!

He knew not that, the man who dares to meet The G.o.ds in combat lives not long. No child Shall prattling call him father when he comes Returning from the dreadful tasks of war."

POPE, _Iliad_, Book V.

Dione then wiped the ichor from the hand of Venus, and at her touch the wound healed and the pain ceased.