s are in grievous straits, and all their bravest are wounded, and
still thou cherishest thy wrath. Surely Peleus was not thy father, nor
Thetis thy mother; but the rocks begat thee, and the sea brought thee
forth. Or if thou goest not to battle, fearing some warning from the Gods,
yet let me go, and thy Myrmidons with me. And let me put thy armor on me;
so shall the Greeks have breathing-space from the war."

So he spake, entreating, nor knew that for his own doom he entreated. And
Achilles made reply,--

"It is no warning that I heed, that I keep back from the war. But these
men took from me my prize, which I won with my own hands. But let the past
be past. I said I would not rise up till the battle should come nigh to my
own ships. But thou mayest put my armor upon thee, and lead my Myrmidons
to the fight. For in truth the men of Troy are gathered as a dark cloud
about the ships, and the Greeks have scarce standing-ground between them
and the sea. For they see not the gleam of my helmet. And Diomed is not
there with his spear; nor do I hear the voice of Agamemnon, but only the
voice of Hector as he calls the men of Troy to the battle. Go, therefore,
Patroclus, and drive the fire from the ships. And then come thou back, nor
fight any more with the Trojans, lest thou take my glory from me. And go
not near, in the delight of the battle, to the walls of Troy, lest one of
the Gods meet thee to thy hurt; and, of a truth, the keen Archer Apollo
loves the Trojans well."

But as they talked the one to the other, Ajax could hold out no longer.
For swords and javelins came thick upon him, and clattered on his helmet,
and his shoulder was weary with the great shield which he held; and he
breathed heavily and hard, and the great drops of sweat fell upon the
ground. Then at the last Hector came near and smote his spear with a great
sword, so that the head fell off. Then was Ajax sore afraid, and gave way,
and the men of Troy set torches to the ship's stem, and a great flame shot
up to the sky. And Achilles saw it, and smote his thigh and spake:--

"Haste thee, Patroclus, for I see the fire rising up from the ships. Put
thou on the armor, and I will call my people to the war." So Patroclus put
on the armor--corselet, and shield, and helmet--and bound upon his
shoulder the silver-studded sword, and took a mighty spear in his hand.
But the great Pelian spear he took not, for that no man but Achilles might
wield. Then Automedon yoked