Mars!
Be men, my friends! now summon all your might!
Think we that we have thousands at our backs
To succor us, or yet some stronger wall
To guard our warriors from the battle's force? 890
Not so. No tower'd city is at hand,
None that presents us with a safe retreat
While others occupy our station here,
But from the shores of Argos far remote
Our camp is, where the Trojans arm'd complete 895
Swarm on the plain, and Ocean shuts us in.
Our hands must therefore save us, not our heels
He said, and furious with his spear again
Press'd them, and whatsoever Trojan came,
Obsequious to the will of Hector, arm'd 900
With fire to burn the fleet, on his spear's point
Ajax receiving pierced him, till at length
Twelve in close fight fell by his single arm.

THE ILIAD.

BOOK XVI.

ARGUMENT OF THE SIXTEENTH BOOK.

Achilles, at the suit of Patroclus, grants him his own armor, and
permission to lead the Myrmidons to battle. They, sallying, repulse
the Trojans. Patroclus slays Sarpedon, and Hector, when Apollo had
first stripped off his armor and Euphorbus wounded him, slays
Patroclus.

BOOK XVI.

Such contest for that gallant bark they waged.
Meantime Patroclus, standing at the side
Of the illustrious Chief Achilles, wept
Fast as a crystal fountain from the height
Of some rude rock pours down its rapid[1] stream. 5
Divine Achilles with compassion moved
Mark'd him, and in wing'd accents thus began.[2]
Who weeps Patroclus like an infant girl
Who, running at her mother's side, entreats
To be uplifted in her arms? She grasps 10
Her mantle, checks her haste, and looking up
With tearful eyes, pleads earnest to be borne;
So fall, Patroclus! thy unceasing tears.
Bring'st thou to me or to my people aught
Afflictive? Hast thou mournful tidings learn'd 15
Prom Phthia, trusted to thy ear alone?
Menoetius, son of Actor, as they say,
Still lives; still lives his Myrmidons among
Peleus AEacides; whom, were they dead,
With cause sufficient we should both deplore. 20
Or weep'st thou the Achaians at the ships
Perishing, for their outrage done to me?
Speak. Name thy trouble. I would learn the cause