, fiercely rushing on;
but were unable to drive away from them noble Hector, like unto a flame.
The chosen men of the Athenians stood in the van; among whom
Menestheus, son of Peteus, had the command; and with him followed
Phidas, Stichius, and brave Bias, Meges, the son of Phyieus, Amphion,
and Dracius, led the Epeans, and over the Phthians were Medon and
Podarces, steady in fight (Medon indeed was the spurious offspring of
godlike Oileus, and the brother of Ajax; but he dwelt at Phylace, away
from his native country,[444] having slain a man, the brother of his
stepmother Eriopis, whom Oileus had married. But the other was the son
of Iphiclus, of Phylace). These in arms before the magnanimous Phthians,
fought among the Boeotians, defending the ships.

[Footnote 440: As Corinth was under the authority of Agamemnon,
he would have been compelled to pay a fine for refusing the
service. Compare the [Greek: atimia tes astraeias] at Athens. See
Potter, Antiq. i. 23.]

[Footnote 441: Cf. xi. 595, with the note.]

[Footnote 442: _I.e._ before them.]

[Footnote 443: _I.e._ where Hector broke in]

[Footnote 444: See my note on ii. p. 42, n. 2.]

But Ajax, the swift son of Oileus, never separated from Telamonian Ajax,
not even for a little time; but as in a fallow field two black bullocks
possessing equal spirit, draw a well-joined plough,--but meanwhile
copious sweat breaks forth around the roots of their horns; and them the
well-polished yoke alone separates on either side, advancing along the
furrows, and [the plough] cuts[445] up the bottom of the soil; so they
twain, joined together, stood very near to each other. And then many and
brave troops followed the son of Telamon as companions, who received
from him his shield, whenever fatigue and sweat came upon his limbs. But
the Locrians followed not the great-souled son of Oileus, for their
heart remained not firm to them in the standing fight, because they had
not brazen helmets crested with horse-hair, nor had they well-orbed
shields and ashen spears; but they followed along with him to Ilium,
trusting in the bows and the well-twisted sheep's wool, with which,
frequently hurling, they broke the phalanxes of the Trojans. At that
time indeed these (the Ajaces) in the van, with their variously-wrought
armour, fought against the Trojans and brazen-armed Hector, whilst (the
Locrians) shooting from the rear, lay concealed; nor were the Trojans
any long