e them to the ships. The Trojans were
scared when they saw the two sons of Dares, one of them in fright and
the other lying dead by his chariot. Minerva, therefore, took Mars by
the hand and said, "Mars, Mars, bane of men, bloodstained stormer of
cities, may we not now leave the Trojans and Achaeans to fight it out,
and see to which of the two Jove will vouchsafe the victory? Let us go
away, and thus avoid his anger."

So saying, she drew Mars out of the battle, and set him down upon the
steep banks of the Scamander. Upon this the Danaans drove the Trojans
back, and each one of their chieftains killed his man. First King
Agamemnon flung mighty Odius, captain of the Halizoni, from his
chariot. The spear of Agamemnon caught him on the broad of his back,
just as he was turning in flight; it struck him between the shoulders
and went right through his chest, and his armour rang rattling round
him as he fell heavily to the ground.

Then Idomeneus killed Phaesus, son of Borus the Meonian, who had come
from Varne. Mighty Idomeneus speared him on the right shoulder as he
was mounting his chariot, and the darkness of death enshrouded him as
he fell heavily from the car.

The squires of Idomeneus spoiled him of his armour, while Menelaus, son
of Atreus, killed Scamandrius the son of Strophius, a mighty huntsman
and keen lover of the chase. Diana herself had taught him how to kill
every kind of wild creature that is bred in mountain forests, but
neither she nor his famed skill in archery could now save him, for the
spear of Menelaus struck him in the back as he was flying; it struck
him between the shoulders and went right through his chest, so that he
fell headlong and his armour rang rattling round him.

Meriones then killed Phereclus the son of Tecton, who was the son of
Hermon, a man whose hand was skilled in all manner of cunning
workmanship, for Pallas Minerva had dearly loved him. He it was that
made the ships for Alexandrus, which were the beginning of all
mischief, and brought evil alike both on the Trojans and on Alexandrus
himself; for he heeded not the decrees of heaven. Meriones overtook him
as he was flying, and struck him on the right buttock. The point of the
spear went through the bone into the bladder, and death came upon him
as he cried aloud and fell forward on his knees.

Meges, moreover, slew Pedaeus, son of Antenor, who, though he was a
bastard, had been brought up by Theano as one of her own children, f