indissoluble,
which relaxed the knees of many. Then, although half-hoary Idomeneus,
encouraging the Greeks, rushing upon the Trojans, created night; for he
slew Othryoneus, who had come from Cabesus, staying within [Priam's
house].[423] He had lately come after the rumour of the war, and
demanded Cassandra, the most beautiful in form of the daughters of
Priam, without a dowry; and he had promised a mighty deed, to repulse in
spite of themselves the sons of the Greeks from Troy. But to him aged
Priam had promised her, and pledged himself[424] to give her; therefore
he fought, trusting in these promises. But Idomeneus took aim at him
with his shining spear, and hurling it, struck him, strutting proudly;
nor did the brazen corslet which he wore resist it, but he fixed it in
the middle of his stomach. And falling, he gave a crash, and [the
other] boasted and said:

"Othryoneus! above all men indeed do I praise thee, if thou wilt now in
truth accomplish all which thou hast undertaken for Dardanian Priam: but
he also promised thee his daughter. We likewise, promising these things,
will accomplish them to thee. We will give thee the most beautiful in
form of the daughters of the son of Atreus to wed, bringing her from
Argos, if along with us thou wilt destroy the well-inhabited city of
Ilium. But follow, that we may treat with thee respecting the marriage
of the sea-traversing ships; since we are by no means bad
brothers-in-law."

[Footnote 422: Heyne compares xiv. 204. The Erinnys were supposed
to avenge any disrespect offered to an elder brother by a
younger.]

[Footnote 423: Literally, "being within from Cabesus."]

[Footnote 424: Lit. "bowed assent."]

So saying, the hero Idomeneus dragged him by the foot through the brisk
battle. But to him Asius came as an avenger, on foot, before his steeds;
which his attendant charioteer always kept breathing over his
shoulders;[425] and in his mind he longed to strike Idomeneus, but he
(Idomeneus) anticipating him, smote him with his spear in the throat,
below the chin, and drove the brass quite through. And he fell, as when
some oak falls, or white poplar,[426] or towering[427] pine, which
timber-workers have cut down upon the mountains with lately-whetted
axes, to become ship timber. So he lay, stretched out before his horses
and chariot, gnashing his teeth, grasping the bloody dust. But the
charioteer was deprived of the senses which he previously had, nor dar