han
himself.

Then father Jove from his high throne struck fear into the heart of
Ajax, so that he stood there dazed and threw his shield behind
him--looking fearfully at the throng of his foes as though he were some
wild beast, and turning hither and thither but crouching slowly
backwards. As peasants with their hounds chase a lion from their
stockyard, and watch by night to prevent his carrying off the pick of
their herd--he makes his greedy spring, but in vain, for the darts from
many a strong hand fall thick around him, with burning brands that
scare him for all his fury, and when morning comes he slinks foiled and
angry away--even so did Ajax, sorely against his will, retreat angrily
before the Trojans, fearing for the ships of the Achaeans. Or as some
lazy ass that has had many a cudgel broken about his back, when he into
a field begins eating the corn--boys beat him but he is too many for
them, and though they lay about with their sticks they cannot hurt him;
still when he has had his fill they at last drive him from the
field--even so did the Trojans and their allies pursue great Ajax, ever
smiting the middle of his shield with their darts. Now and again he
would turn and show fight, keeping back the battalions of the Trojans,
and then he would again retreat; but he prevented any of them from
making his way to the ships. Single-handed he stood midway between the
Trojans and Achaeans: the spears that sped from their hands stuck some
of them in his mighty shield, while many, though thirsting for his
blood, fell to the ground ere they could reach him to the wounding of
his fair flesh.

Now when Eurypylus the brave son of Euaemon saw that Ajax was being
overpowered by the rain of arrows, he went up to him and hurled his
spear. He struck Apisaon son of Phausius in the liver below the
midriff, and laid him low. Eurypylus sprang upon him, and stripped the
armour from his shoulders; but when Alexandrus saw him, he aimed an
arrow at him which struck him in the right thigh; the arrow broke, but
the point that was left in the wound dragged on the thigh; he drew
back, therefore, under cover of his comrades to save his life, shouting
as he did so to the Danaans, "My friends, princes and counsellors of
the Argives, rally to the defence of Ajax who is being overpowered, and
I doubt whether he will come out of the fight alive. Hither, then, to
the rescue of great Ajax son of Telamon."

Even so did he cry when he was wounded