The Story of Troy Part 15

BRYANT, _Iliad_, Book XIII.

Arrived at the fleet, Neptune a.s.sumed the shape and voice of the soothsayer Calchas, and, going amongst the Grecian leaders, urged them to battle. With his scepter he touched the two Ajaxes, thereby giving more than mortal strength to their limbs, and filling their b.r.e.a.s.t.s with valor. Thus encouraged the Greek heroes turned fiercely upon the Trojans, and again great feats of war were performed by the chiefs on both sides. Hector, Paris, Helenus, Deiph'o-bus, and aeneas fought in front of the Trojan lines, while Menelaus, Idomeneus, Teucer, the two Ajaxes, and An-til'o-chus, the son of Nestor, bravely led the conflict at the head of the Greeks.

All along the line The murderous conflict bristled with long spears.

BRYANT, _Iliad_, Book XIII.

Juno rejoiced exceedingly at seeing the monarch of the ocean aiding the Greeks, but she much feared that Jupiter might notice him, and order him off the field. This he would be sure to do, if he should again turn his eyes on the battle. Juno therefore went to the island of Les'bos, where Som'nus, the G.o.d of sleep, resided, and she entreated that deity to hasten to Mount Ida, and cause her royal spouse to fall into a deep slumber. Somnus consented, and having done as Juno desired, he hurried down to the Grecian fleet with a message to Neptune.

"Now, Neptune, give the Greeks thy earnest aid, And though it be but for a little s.p.a.ce, While Jupiter yet slumbers, let them win The glory of the day; for I have wrapt His senses in a gentle lethargy."

BRYANT, _Iliad_, Book XIV.

Hearing these words, Neptune rushed to the front of the Greek lines and again urged the leaders to stand bravely against the enemy. Then, grasping in his hand a sword "of fearful length and flashing blade like lightning," he led them on to battle.

And now the warriors of both sides were once more in deadly conflict.

Hector cast a spear at Ajax, but the weapon struck where two belts crossed upon the hero's breast, overlapping each other, and he escaped unhurt. Then the son of Telamon struck at the Trojan leader. His weapon was a heavy stone, one of many that lay around, which were used as props for the ships. The missile, hurled with giant force and true aim, smote the Trojan on the breast and felled him like a tree struck by lightning.

As when beneath The stroke of Father Jupiter an oak Falls broken at the root, . . . . . .

So dropped the valiant Hector to the earth Amid the dust; his hand let fall the spear; His shield and helm fell with him, and his mail Of shining bra.s.s clashed round him.

BRYANT, _Iliad_, Book XIV.

With shouts of triumph the Greeks rushed forward, hoping to slay the fallen warrior, and despoil him of his armor. But his comrades, aeneas and A-ge'nor and Sarpedon and many others, crowded around him, and protected him with their shields. He was then carried to the bank of the Xanthus and bathed in its waters, which revived him a little.

When the Greeks saw Hector borne away as if dead, they fought with increased valor, and soon drove the Trojans back across the trench, slaying many of their chiefs.

Meanwhile Jupiter, awaking from his slumber, and looking down upon the battlefield, beheld the men of Troy put to flight, and Neptune at the head of the pursuing Greeks. Turning angrily upon Juno, who was at his side, he rebuked her in severe words, for he now saw the trick that had been played upon him. He reminded her of how he had punished her on a former occasion for her ill treatment of his son Hercules.

"Dost thou forget When thou didst swing suspended, and I tied Two anvils to thy feet, and bound a chain Of gold that none could break around thy wrists?

Then didst thou hang in air amid the clouds, And all the G.o.ds of high Olympus saw With pity. They stood near, but none of them Were able to release thee."

BRYANT, _Iliad_, Book XV.

Juno pleaded that it was not at her request that Neptune had gone to the aid of the Greeks. He had done that without consulting her. She indeed, she said, would rather advise Neptune to obey the command of the king of heaven and submit to his will.

The anger of the father of the G.o.ds was appeased by Juno's mild words.

Then he bade her hasten to Olympus and send the messenger Iris down to order Neptune to leave the battle. He bade her also to direct Apollo to restore Hector's strength and prepare him for the fight. But he explained to Juno why he wished that for the present the Trojans should be victorious. It was because he had promised Thetis that the Greeks should be punished for the wrong Agamemnon had done to her son. Yet the time would come, he said, when the great Hector would be slain by the hand of Achilles, and when by Minerva's aid the lofty towers of Troy would be overthrown. Juno was therefore glad to obey the command of her royal spouse.

As the thought of man Flies rapidly, when, having traveled far, He thinks, "Here would I be, I would be there,"

And flits from place to place, so swiftly flew Imperial Juno to the Olympian mount.

BRYANT, _Iliad_, Book XV.

There she informed Iris and Apollo of the will of Father Jove. Forthwith the two G.o.ds hastened to Mount Ida to receive their orders from Jupiter himself. The orders were quickly given. Then with the speed of the winds the messenger of heaven and the G.o.d of the silver bow darted down from Ida's top to the plain of Troy.

Neptune, on hearing of the command of Jupiter, was at first unwilling to obey. Jupiter, he said, had no authority over him.

"We are three brothers, The sons of Saturn,--Jupiter and I, And Pluto, regent of the realm below.

Three parts were made of all existing things, And each of us received his heritage.

The lots were shaken; and to me it fell To dwell forever in the h.o.a.ry deep, And Pluto took the gloomy realm of night, And lastly, Jupiter the ample heaven And air and clouds. Yet doth the earth remain, With high Olympus, common to us all.

Therefore I yield me not to do his will, Great as he is; and let him be content With his third part."

BRYANT, _Iliad_, Book XV.

But Iris advised Neptune to obey, reminding him that Jupiter had power of punishing those who offended him. At last Neptune yielded, and, quitting the Grecian army, took his way to the sea, and plunged beneath the waves to his palace in the ocean depths.

Meanwhile Apollo hastened to the side of the Trojan prince, who was still weak from the blow of Ajax. Quickly the G.o.d restored the hero's strength and breathed fresh courage into his breast. Then he commanded Hector to hasten forward and lead his warriors against the enemy. In an instant the Trojan prince was on his feet, hurrying to the front. When the Greek chiefs saw him they were astonished as well as terrified, for they had thought him dead, and now they believed he had been rescued from death by some G.o.d. They resolved, however, to fight bravely, and so they stood firmly together. Hector meanwhile advanced, Apollo moving before him with the shield of Jupiter, the terrible aegis, which Jupiter had given him to shake before the Greeks and fill their hearts with fear.

"Hector led The van in rapid march. Before him walked Phbus, the terrible aggis in his hands, Dazzlingly bright within its s.h.a.ggy fringe, By Vulcan forged, the great artificer, And given to Jupiter, with which to rout Armies of men. With this in hand he led The a.s.sailants on."

BRYANT, _Iliad_, Book XV.

Against an attack so led the bravery of the Greeks was of little avail.

Numbers of their warriors were slain, and the rest fled back to their camp, pursued by Hector and his triumphant hosts. This time the Trojans were not hindered by the trench or the wall, for Apollo with his mighty feet trampled down the earth banks, and overthrew the great wall as easily as a child at play on the beach overthrows a tiny mound of sand.

Then a fierce struggle took place, the Greeks fighting with desperate fury to defend their ships, which the Trojans, with lighted torches in their hands, tried to set on fire. At one of the galleys there was a terrific conflict. Hector, having grasped the vessel by the stern, called to his men to bring on their flaming brands, while the mighty Ajax stood on the rowers' bench, ready with his long spear to strike the a.s.sailants back.

On the blade of that long spear The hero took them as they came, and slew In close encounter twelve before the fleet.

BRYANT, _Iliad_, Book XV.

But at last the brave son of Telamon was forced to give way, Hector having cut his spear shaft in two by a stroke of his huge sword. Then the Trojans hurled forward their blazing torches, and the ship was soon wrapped in flames. The Greeks were now in the greatest peril. No hope seemed left to them to save their fleet from destruction. But help came from an unexpected quarter. Patroclus, the friend and companion of Achilles, had been watching the terrible conflict at the ships. As soon as he saw the vessel on fire he hurried to the tent of the Myrmidonian chief, and with tears in his eyes implored him to have pity on his perishing countrymen.

"The Greeks," said he, "are sorely pressed. Their bravest leaders are wounded, while you sit here, giving way to your wrath. If you will not yourself go to their rescue, at least permit me to lead the Myrmidons to battle, and let me wear your armor. The Trojans at the sight of it may think I am Achilles, and be so terrified that our people may have a little breathing time."

To this proposal Achilles a.s.sented, but he warned Patroclus not to pursue the Trojans too far, lest he might meet his death at the hands of one of the G.o.ds. "Rescue our good ships," said he, "but when you have driven the enemy from the fleet, return hither."

With joy and eager haste Patroclus put on the armor of Achilles. Then the great chief himself marshaled his Myrmidons in battle array, after which he addressed them, bidding them fight valiantly. The occasion, he said, had now come which they had so long desired, for they had often blamed him because he had kept them from joining their countrymen in the field. Fierce and fearless these Myrmidons were, and over two thousand strong.

Achilles, dear to Jupiter, had led Fifty swift barks to Ilium, and in each Were fifty men, companions at the oar.

BRYANT, _Iliad_, Book XVI.

Patroclus now mounted the chariot of Achilles, with the brave Au-tom'e-don as charioteer, a hero next in valor to the renowned son of Peleus himself. There were three horses in the team, Xanthus and Ba'li-us, both of immortal breed, and fleet as the wind, and Ped'a-sus, which, though of mortal stock, was a match for the others in speed.

Like in strength, in swiftness and in grace, A mortal courser match'd the immortal race.

POPE, _Iliad_, Book XVI.

Great was the terror of the Trojans when they beheld the Myrmidons march forth to battle.

Every heart grew faint With fear; the close ranks wavered; for they thought That the swift son of Peleus at the fleet Had laid aside his wrath, and was again The friend of Agamemnon. Eagerly They looked around for an escape from death.

BRYANT, _Iliad_, Book XVI.

[Ill.u.s.tration: AUTOMEDON AND THE HORSES OF ACHILLES.