l to earth and bite the dust. His spear fell from his hand, but his
shield and helmet were made fast about his body, and his bronze armour
rang about him.

The sons of the Achaeans came running with a loud cry towards him,
hoping to drag him away, and they showered their darts on the Trojans,
but none of them could wound him before he was surrounded and covered
by the princes Polydamas, Aeneas, Agenor, Sarpedon captain of the
Lycians, and noble Glaucus. Of the others, too, there was not one who
was unmindful of him, and they held their round shields over him to
cover him. His comrades then lifted him off the ground and bore him
away from the battle to the place where his horses stood waiting for
him at the rear of the fight with their driver and the chariot; these
then took him towards the city groaning and in great pain. When they
reached the ford of the fair stream of Xanthus, begotten of Immortal
Jove, they took him from off his chariot and laid him down on the
ground; they poured water over him, and as they did so he breathed
again and opened his eyes. Then kneeling on his knees he vomited blood,
but soon fell back on to the ground, and his eyes were again closed in
darkness for he was still stunned by the blow.

When the Argives saw Hector leaving the field, they took heart and set
upon the Trojans yet more furiously. Ajax fleet son of Oileus began by
springing on Satnius son of Enops, and wounding him with his spear: a
fair naiad nymph had borne him to Enops as he was herding cattle by the
banks of the river Satnioeis. The son of Oileus came up to him and
struck him in the flank so that he fell, and a fierce fight between
Trojans and Danaans raged round his body. Polydamas son of Panthous
drew near to avenge him, and wounded Prothoenor son of Areilycus on the
right shoulder; the terrible spear went right through his shoulder, and
he clutched the earth as he fell in the dust. Polydamas vaunted loudly
over him saying, "Again I take it that the spear has not sped in vain
from the strong hand of the son of Panthous; an Argive has caught it in
his body, and it will serve him for a staff as he goes down into the
house of Hades."

The Argives were maddened by this boasting. Ajax son of Telamon was
more angry than any, for the man had fallen close beside him; so he
aimed at Polydamas as he was retreating, but Polydamas saved himself by
swerving aside and the spear struck Archelochus son of Antenor, for
heaven counselle