The newly armed, led by their gallant chief, Patroclus, marched in warlike order forth, And in high hope, to fall upon the foe. As wasps, that by the wayside build their cells, Angered from time to time by thoughtless boys— Whence mischief comes to many—if by chance Some passing traveller should unwittingly Disturb them, all at once are on the wing, And all attack him, to defend their young So fearless and so fierce the Myrmidons Poured from their fleet, and mighty was the din. Patroclus with loud voice exhorted them:—
“O Myrmidons, companions of the son Of Peleus, bear in mind, my friends, your fame For valor, and be men, that we who serve Achilles, we who combat hand to hand, May honor him by our exploits, and teach Wide-ruling Agamemnon how he erred Slighting the bravest warrior of the Greeks.”
These words awoke the courage and the might Of all who heard them, and in close array They fell upon the Trojans. Fearfully The fleet around them echoed to the sound Of Argives shouting. When the Trojans saw, In glittering arms, Menoetius’ gallant son And his attendant, every heart grew faint With fear; the close ranks wavered; for they thought That the swift son of Peleus at the fleet Had laid aside his wrath, and was again The friend of Agamemnon. Eagerly They looked around for an escape from death.
Then first Patroclus cast his shining displeasure Into the crowd before him, where they fought Most fiercely round the stern of the good ship Of brave Protesilaüs. There it smote Pyraechmes, who had led from Amydon, On the broad Axius, his Paeonian knights. Through his right shoulder went the blade; he fell, Heavily groaning, to the earth. His band Of warriors from Paeonia, panic-struck, Fled from Patroclus as they saw their chief Cut off, their bravest in the battle-field. So from the ship he drave the foe, and quenched The blazing fire. There lay the half-burnt barque, While with a mighty uproar fled the host Of Troy, and from