before the gates, like unto wild boars, which await the
approaching tumult of men and dogs in the mountains, and, advancing
obliquely to the attack, break down the wood around them, cutting it to
the root; and a gnashing of teeth arises from beneath, till some one,
having taken aim, deprive them of life. So resounded the shining brass
upon their breasts, smitten in front, for very valiantly they fought,
trusting to the troops above, and to their own valour. But they hurled
stones down from the well-built towers, defending themselves, their
tents, and the swift-voyaging ships. And as snow-flakes fall upon the
earth, which the violent wind, having disturbed the shady clouds, pours
down thick upon the fertile soil; thus poured the weapons from the hands
as well of the Greeks as of the Trojans; and the helmets and bossy
shields, smitten with large stones, sounded drily around. Then indeed
Asius, son of Hyrtacus, groaned, and smote both his thighs, and
indignant exclaimed:

"Father Jove, surely now at least thou also hast become utterly
deceitful; for I did not expect that the Grecian heroes would abide our
strength and invincible hands. But they, as wasps flexible[398] in the
middle, and bees, [which] make their dwellings in a rugged path, nor
quit their hollow mansion; but awaiting the huntsmen, fight for their
offspring; so are these unwilling to retire from the gates, though being
only two, until they be either killed or taken."

[Footnote 396: "Put for [Greek: araron tas apidas allelon ep'
allalois], _clipeos consertos_ manibus ante se tenebant, [Greek:
synaspismo] facto."--Heyne. Kennedy well observes that "we may
trace here the rude outline of the celebrated phalanx, which
formed so prominent a feature of the Macedonian tactics."]

[Footnote 397: From this passage, Heyne observes that the gates
must have opened inwards, being secured from within by a double
bolt (cf. ver. 455, sqq.). See D'Orville on Chariton, i. xii. p.
274, ed. Lips. On the [Greek: ocheis], on bars, cf. Pollux, x.
4.]

[Footnote 398: Or "streaked." See Porphyr. Quaest. iii. But
Buttmann, Lexil. p. 64, dwells much upon the force of [Greek:
meson], observing, "in no insect is _flexibility_ more evident
than in the wasp, where the lower part of its body is joined as
it were by a point with the upper."]

Thus he spake, nor did he persuade the mind of Jove, saying these
things: for his soul designed to b