which shall behold us fall Vanquished before the Trojans. O ye gods! These eyes have seen a marvel, a strange sight And terrible, which I had never thought Could be—the Trojans close upon our ships, They who, erewhile, were like the timid deer That wander in the wood an easy prey To jackals, pards, and wolves—weak things, unapt For combat, fleeing, but without an aim. Such were the Trojans, who till now ne’er dared Withstand the might and prowess of the Greeks Even for an hour. But now, afar from Troy They give us battle at the hollow ships, All through our general’s fault, and through the sloth Of the Greek warriors, who, displeased with him, Fight not for their swift galleys, but are slain Beside them. Yet although our sovereign chief, Atrides Agamemnon, may have done Foul wrong, dishonoring the swift-footed son Of Peleus, still ye cannot without blame Decline the combat. Let us then repair The mischief done; the hearts of valiant men Are soon appeased. And not without the loss Of honor can your fiery courage sleep, Since ye are known the bravest of the host. I would not chide the weak, unwarlike man For shrinking from the combat; but for you— I look on you with anger in my heart. Weaklings! Ye soon will bring upon yourselves Some sorer evil if ye loiter thus. Let each of you bethink him of the shame And infamy impending. Terrible The struggle is before us. Hector storms The ships, loud-shouting Hector; he has burst The gate and broken the protecting bar.”
So Neptune spake, encouraging the Greeks. While firmly stood the serried phalanxes Round either Ajax, nor could Mars himself, Nor Pallas, musterer of armèd hosts, Reprove their order. There the flower of Greece Waited the Trojans and their noble chief, Spear beside spear, and shield by shield, so close That buckler pressed on buckler, helm on helm, And man on man. The plumes of horse-hair touched Each other as they nodded on the crests Of the bright helms, so close the warriors stood. The lances quivered in the fearless hands Of warriors eager to advance and strike The enemy. But the men of Troy began The assault; the fiery Hector was the first To rush against the Greeks. As when a stone Rolls