weapons;
for now again both infantry and cavalry pursued him, and Hector, the son
of Priam, like unto a flame in violence. Thrice did illustrious Hector
seize him behind by the feet, eager to draw him away, and loudly shouted
to the Trojans; and thrice did the two Ajaces, clad in impetuous might,
forcibly repulse him from the corse; whilst he, with steady purpose,
ever relying on his might, sometimes charged through the crowd, and
sometimes again stopped, loudly shouting; but never retreated
altogether. But as night-watching[579] shepherds are by no means able to
drive away from a carcase a tawny lion, greatly hungering; so were the
two warriors, the Ajaces, unable to drive away Hector, the son of
Priam, from the body. And now indeed would he have dragged it off, and
obtained great glory, had not fleet wind-footed Iris come as a messenger
to the son of Peleus, running down from Olympus, that he should arm
himself unknown to Jove and the other gods; for Juno sent her forth; and
standing near, she addressed to him winged words:

[Footnote 579: Cf. Luke ii. 8, with the notes of Wetstein and
Kypke. Although [Greek: agrauloi] may simply mean "dwelling in
the fields," as in Apollon. Rh. iv. 317, it is better to follow
the interpretation of Hesychius: [Greek: Oi en ayrois
dianuktereyontes]. But cf. Alberti, t.i. p. 64.]

"Arise, son of Peleus, most terrible of all men; defend Patroclus, for
whom[580] a dire contest is maintained before the ships. But they are
slaughtering each other, the one party fighting for the slain corpse,
whilst the other, the Trojans, rush on, that they may drag him away to
wind-swept Ilium; and above all, illustrious Hector desires to seize
him, for his mind prompts him to fix his head upon stakes, having cut it
from the tender neck. But up, nor lie longer; but let reverence[581]
touch thy soul, that Patroclus should be a source of delight to Trojan
dogs. A disgrace would be to thee, if the dead body should come at all
defiled."

[Footnote 580: _I.e._ for whose body.]

[Footnote 581: "[Greek: Sebas] is commonly rendered _pudor_,
nearly synonymous with [Greek: aidos]. Its meaning is however
more forcible, viz. _esteem it as an act of impiety to abandon
the body to insult_."--Kennedy.]

But her noble, swift-footed Achilles, then answered: "Which of the gods,
O goddess Iris, sent thee as a messenger tome?"

But him fleet, wind-footed Iris, again addressed: "Juno sent