Greeks withstood The onset, and struck forward with strong arms. Meantime the furious Mars involved the field In darkness, to befriend the sons of Troy, And went through all the ranks, and well fulfilled The mandate which Apollo gave the god Who wields the golden falchion, bidding him Kindle the courage of the Trojan host Whene’er he saw the auxiliar of the Greeks, Minerva, leave the combat. Then the god Brought from the sanctuary’s inner shrine Aeneas—filling with recovered strength That shepherd of the people. He beside His comrades placed himself, and they rejoiced To see him living and unharmed and strong As ever; yet they questioned not; their task Was different, set them by the god who bears The silver bow, and Mars the slayer of men, And raging Strife that never is appeased.
The Ajaces and Ulysses and the son Of Tydeus roused the Achaians to the fight. For of the strength and clamor of the foe They felt no fear, but calmly stood, to bide The assault; as stand in air the quiet clouds Which Saturn’s son upon the mountaintops Piles in still volumes when the north wind sleeps, And every ruder breath of blustering air That drives the gathered vapors through the sky. Thus calmly waited they the Trojan host, Nor thought of flight. And now Atrides passed In haste along their ranks, and gave command:—
“O friends, be men, and let your hearts be strong, And let no warrior in the heat of fight Do what may bring him shame in others’ eyes; For more of those who shrink from shame are safe Than fall in battle, while with those who flee Is neither glory nor reprieve from death.”
So spake the king, and hurled his spear and smote Deïcoön, the son of Pergasis, A chief, and a companion in the war Of the great-souled Aeneas. He in Troy Was honored as men honored Priam’s sons, For he was ever foremost in the fight. The weapon struck his shield, yet stopped not there, But, breaking through its folds and through the belt, Transfixed the part beneath. The Trojan fell To earth, his armor clashing with his fall.