of the
much-resounding sea, swollen, whitened with foam, first indeed some and
then others following.

[Footnote 450: See Buttm. Lexil. p. 358. Choeph. 679: [Greek:
Kat' akras enthad' os porthoumetha]. Soph. Ant. 206: [Greek:
Ethelese men puri presai kat' akras]. Eurip. Phoen. 1192: [Greek:
Kat' acron pregamon elein polin].]

[Footnote 451: [Greek: Polemou diadochoi, tois proterois
isoi].--Eustathius.]

So the Trojans, first indeed some in battle array, and then others
glittering in brass, followed along with their leaders. But Hector, the
son of Priam, equal to man-slaughtering Mars, led the van, and held
before him his shield, equal on all sides, thick with skins; and much
brass was laid over it: and round his temples his gleaming helmet was
shaken. Stepping forward, he tried the phalanxes around on every side,
if perchance they would give way to him, advancing under cover of his
shield. Yet he disturbed not the courage of the Greeks in their breasts:
but Ajax, far-striding, first challenged him:

"O noble Sir, draw nearer: why dost thou thus frighten the Greeks? We
Greeks are by no means unskilful in battle, although we are subdued by
the evil scourge[452] of Jove. Thy soul, forsooth, hopes, I suppose, to
plunder the ships; but we also have hands ready to repulse thee
immediately. Assuredly, long before shall thy well-inhabited city be
taken and destroyed by our hands. But to thee thyself, I say, the time
draws near, when, flying, thou shalt pray to father Jove and the other
immortals, that thy fair-maned steeds, which shall bear thee to the
city, raising dust over the plain, may become swifter than hawks."

[Footnote 452: See note on xii. 37.]

Whilst he was thus speaking, a bird flew over him on the right--a
lofty-flying eagle; upon which the people of the Greeks shouted,
encouraged by the omen; but illustrious Hector replied:

"O babbling and vain-boasting Ajax, what hast thou said? Would that I
were as sure of becoming for ever the child of aegis-bearing Jove, that
the venerable Juno had borne me, and that I were honoured as Minerva and
Apollo are honoured, as that this day now certainly brings destruction
upon all the Greeks; and among others thou shalt be slain, if thou wilt
dare to abide my long spear, which shall tear for thee thy dainty
person, and thou shalt satiate the dogs and birds of the Trojans with
thy fat and flesh, falling at the ships of the Greeks."

Thus then having