his eye-roots
Piercing, he push'd the pupil from its seat,
And through his eye and through his poll the spear
Urged furious. He down-sitting on the earth 595
Both hands extended; but, his glittering blade
Forth-drawn, Peneleus through his middle neck
Enforced it; head and helmet to the ground
He lopp'd together, with the lance infixt
Still in his eye; then like a poppy's head 600
The crimson trophy lifting, in the ears
He vaunted loud of Ilium's host, and cried.
Go, Trojans! be my messengers! Inform
The parents of Ilioneus the brave
That they may mourn their son through all their house, 605
For so the wife of Alegenor's son
Boeotian Promachus must him bewail,
Nor shall she welcome his return with smiles
Of joy affectionate, when from the shores
Of Troy the fleet shall bear us Grecians home. 610
He said; fear whiten'd every Trojan cheek,
And every Trojan eye with earnest look
Inquired a refuge from impending fate.
Say now, ye Muses, blest inhabitants
Of the Olympian realms! what Grecian first 615
Fill'd his victorious hand with armor stript
From slaughter'd Trojans, after Ocean's God
Had, interposing, changed the battle's course?
First, Telamonian Ajax Hyrtius slew,
Undaunted leader of the Mysian band. 620
Phalces and Mermerus their arms resign'd
To young Antilochus; Hyppotion fell
And Morys by Meriones; the shafts
Right-aim'd of Teucer to the shades dismiss'd
Prothoeus and Periphetes, and the prince 625
Of Sparta, Menelaus, in his flank
Pierced Hyperenor; on his entrails prey'd
The hungry steel, and, through the gaping wound
Expell'd, his spirit flew; night veil'd his eyes.
But Ajax Oiliades the swift 630
Slew most; him none could equal in pursuit
Of tremblers scatter'd by the frown of Jove.

THE ILIAD.

BOOK XV.

ARGUMENT OF THE FIFTEENTH BOOK.

Jove, awaking and seeing the Trojans routed, threatens Juno. He sends
Iris to admonish Neptune to relinquish the battle, and Apollo to
restore health to Hector. Apollo armed with the AEgis, puts to flight
the Grecians; they are pursued home to their fleet, and Telamonian
Ajax slays twelve Trojans bringing fire to burn i