Then Ajax leapt upon
him, and drove his spear at Hector's neck, making a wound from which the
dark blood flowed.

But Hector, undismayed, took up a great stone from the ground, and with it
smote the boss of Ajax's shield. And Ajax heaved up a far bigger stone and
threw it on the buckler of Hector, and it fell on him like a huge
millstone, and stretched him on his back! But Apollo raised him, and set
him on his legs again.

Then they would have furiously attacked each other with their swords, had
not the Achaian herald, Talthybius, and the Trojan herald, Idaius,
intervened and stopped the fight, holding their staves of office between
the godlike warriors; and Idaius spake to them: "Fight no longer, brave
youths; for Zeus loveth you both; and we know well what gallant warriors
ye are. Night is upon us, whose commands it behooveth us to obey."

And the Telamonian Ajax answered, "Let Hector say those words; for it was
he who challenged us."

And Hector of the shining helmet said, "Ajax, since thou hast received
strength and wisdom from the Gods, and dost excel all the Achaians in the
fight, let us now cease from battle for the day, and hereafter we will
fight again, until the Gods shall give victory to one of us. Go now, and
rejoice thy friends and kinsmen by the ships, and I will gladden the
hearts of Trojan men and long-robed dames in the holy city of King Priam.
But now let us exchange costly gifts, that Trojans and Achaians may say of
us that we, having met in this heart-gnawing strife, have parted like good
friends." He spake, and gave to Ajax a silver-studded sword; and Ajax gave
him a purple belt. So they parted, and went their way; the one to the
ships of the Achaians, and the other to the holy city of Troy. And the
Trojans rejoiced that Hector had escaped unhurt from the unapproachable
hands of mighty Ajax.

THE DEATH OF PATROCLUS AND THE BATTLE OF THE RIVER

By Alfred J. Church

Patroclus came and stood by the side of Achilles weeping. Then said
Achilles, "What ails thee, Patroclus, that thou weepest like a girl-child
that runs along by her mother's side, and would be taken up, holding her
gown, and looking at her with tearful eyes till she lift her in her arms?
Hast thou heard evil news from Phthia? Menoetius yet lives, they say, and
Peleus. Or art thou weeping for the Greeks, because they perish for their
folly?"

Then said Patroclus, "Be not wroth with me, great Achilles, for indeed the
Greek