e host?
Dost thou not know that the battle is desperate? Take up thy spirit
again. Bid thy charioteer drive thee towards the ships of the Greeks."'

'Then Hector rose and went amongst the ranks of his men and roused up
their spirits and led them back to the wall. And when the Greeks saw
Hector in fighting trim again, going up and down the ranks of his men,
they were affrighted.'

'He mounted his chariot and he shouted to the others, and the Trojan
charioteers lashed their horses and they came on like a great wave. They
crossed the broken wall again and came near the ships. Then many of the
Greeks got into their ships and struck at those who came near with long
pikes.'

'And all around the ships companies of Greek warriors stood like rocks
that the sea breaks against in vain. Nestor cried out to the Greeks,
bidding them fight like heroes, or else lose in the burning ships all
hope of return to their native land. Aias, a long pike in his hand,
drove multitudes of Trojans back, while, in a loud voice, he put courage
into the Greeks. Hector fought his way forward crying to the Trojans to
bring fire to the ships that had come to their coast against the will of
the gods,'

'He came to the first of the ships and laid his hand upon its stern.
Many fought against him there. Swords and spears and armour fell on the
ground, some from the hands, some off the shoulders of warring men, and
the black earth was red with blood. But Hector was not driven away from
the ship. And he shouted "Bring fire that we may burn the ships that
have brought the enemy to our land. The woes we have suffered were
because of the cowardice of the elders of the City--they would not let
me bring my warriors here and bring battle down to the ships when first
they came to our beach. Do not let us return to the City until we have
burned the ships with fire."'

'But whoever brought fire near the ship was stricken by strong Aias who
stood there with a long pike in his hands. Now all this time Patroklos
sat in the hut of Eurypylos, the wounded man he had succoured, cheering
him with discourse and laying healing herbs on his wounds. But when he
saw fire being brought to the ships he rose up and said, "Eurypylos, no
longer may I stay here although great is your need of attendance. I must
get aid for our warriors." Straightway he ran from the hut and came to
where Achilles was.'

'"If thy heart, Achilles," he said, "is still hard against the Greeks,
and if t