Wherefore in standing fight he warded off The evil hour, nor trusted to his feet To bear him fleetly from the field. He moved Slowly away, and now Deïphobus, Who long had hated him and bitterly, Aimed at him his bright spear; it missed its mark, And struck Ascalaphus, the son of Mars. The weapon cleft the shoulder of the Greek, Who fell amid the dust, and clenched the earth.
Not yet the clamorous Mars, of passionate mood, Had heard that in the fray his son was slain; But on the summit of the Olympian mount He sat, o’ercanopied by golden clouds, Restrained from combat by the will of Jove, With other gods, forbidden, like himself, To aid the combatants. Meantime around Ascalaphus the combat hand to hand Still raged. Deïphobus had torn away The slain man’s shining helm, when suddenly Meriones sprang forward, spear in hand, And smote him on the arm; the wounded limb Let fall the helm, resounding as it fell, And with a vulture’s leap Meriones Rushed toward him, plucking out from the torn flesh The spear, and falling back among the crowd. Polites, brother of the wounded, threw Both arms around his waist, and bore him off From the loud din of conflict, till he reached His swift-paced steeds, that waited in the rear Of battle, with their chariot nobly wrought And charioteer. These took him back to Troy, Heavily groaning and in pain, the blood Yet gushing from the newly wounded limb.
Still fought the other warriors, and the noise Of a perpetual tumult filled the air. Aeneas, rushing upon Aphareus, Caletor’s son, who turned to face him, thrust A sharp spear through his throat. With drooping head, And carrying shield and helmet to the ground, He fell, and rendered up his soul in death. Antilochus, as Thoön turned away, Attacked and smote him, cutting off the vein That passes through the body to the neck. This he divided sheer; the warrior fell Backward, and lay in dust, with hands outstretched To his beloved friends. Antilochus Flew to the slain, and from his shoulders stripped The armor, casting cautious glances round; While toward him pressed the Trojans on all sides,