estow glory upon Hector. In the
meantime others were waging the battle at other gates; but difficult
would it be for me, as if I were a god, to enumerate all these things;
for around the wall in every direction a furiously-raging fire of stones
was aroused,[399] and the Greeks, although grieving, fought from
necessity for their ships; and all the gods were sorrowful in their
minds; as many as were allies to the Greeks in battle.

[Footnote 399:

"Through the long walls the stony showers were heard,
The blaze of flames, the flash of arms appeared."--Pope.]

But the Lapithae began the battle and contest. Then the son of Pirithous,
brave Polypoetes, smote Damasus with his spear, through his
brazen-cheeked helmet; nor did the brazen casque withstand, but the
brazen blade burst quite through the bone, and all the brain within was
shattered. Thus he subdued him, rushing on, and afterwards he slew Pylon
and Ormenus. And Leonteus, a branch of Mars, wounded Hippomachus, the
son of Antimachus, with his spear, striking him at the belt. Next,
drawing his sharp sword from the sheath, he, rushing through the crowd,
smote Antiphates first, hand to hand, and he was dashed on his back to
the ground; then Menon and Iaemenus, and Orestes, all one over another he
brought to the fertile earth.

Whilst they were stripping off their glittering armour, those youths,
meantime, who were most numerous and most brave, and who were most eager
to break down the wall, and burn the ships with fire, followed Polydamas
and Hector, and they anxiously deliberated, standing at the trench. For
an augury had appeared on the left to them while eager to cross, a
high-flying eagle dividing the people,[400] bearing in his talons a
monstrous blood-stained serpent, alive, still panting; nor was it yet
forgetful of fighting; for, while holding it, writhing backwards, it
wounded him upon the breast near the neck; but he let it drop from him
to the ground, afflicted with anguish, and threw it into the midst of
the crowd, and, flapping his wings, he fled away with the breeze of the
wind. And the Trojans shuddered as they beheld the spotted serpent lying
in the midst, a prodigy of aegis-bearing Jove. Then Polydamas, standing
near, addressed gallant Hector:

"Hector, somehow or other thou art ever chiding me in the assemblies,
although proposing good counsels; because it is by no means becoming for
a man, being a citizen, to harangue contrary to thee, eith