fe
you widowed in her bridal chamber, while you brought grief unspeakable
on his parents. I shall comfort these poor people if I bring your head
and armour and place them in the hands of Panthous and noble Phrontis.
The time is come when this matter shall be fought out and settled, for
me or against me."

As he spoke he struck Menelaus full on the shield, but the spear did
not go through, for the shield turned its point. Menelaus then took
aim, praying to father Jove as he did so; Euphorbus was drawing back,
and Menelaus struck him about the roots of his throat, leaning his
whole weight on the spear, so as to drive it home. The point went clean
through his neck, and his armour rang rattling round him as he fell
heavily to the ground. His hair which was like that of the Graces, and
his locks so deftly bound in bands of silver and gold, were all
bedrabbled with blood. As one who has grown a fine young olive tree in
a clear space where there is abundance of water--the plant is full of
promise, and though the winds beat upon it from every quarter it puts
forth its white blossoms till the blasts of some fierce hurricane sweep
down upon it and level it with the ground--even so did Menelaus strip
the fair youth Euphorbus of his armour after he had slain him. Or as
some fierce lion upon the mountains in the pride of his strength
fastens on the finest heifer in a herd as it is feeding--first he
breaks her neck with his strong jaws, and then gorges on her blood and
entrails; dogs and shepherds raise a hue and cry against him, but they
stand aloof and will not come close to him, for they are pale with
fear--even so no one had the courage to face valiant Menelaus. The son
of Atreus would have then carried off the armour of the son of Panthous
with ease, had not Phoebus Apollo been angry, and in the guise of
Mentes chief of the Cicons incited Hector to attack him. "Hector," said
he, "you are now going after the horses of the noble son of Aeacus, but
you will not take them; they cannot be kept in hand and driven by
mortal man, save only by Achilles, who is son to an immortal mother.
Meanwhile Menelaus son of Atreus has bestridden the body of Patroclus
and killed the noblest of the Trojans, Euphorbus son of Panthous, so
that he can fight no more."

The god then went back into the toil and turmoil, but the soul of
Hector was darkened with a cloud of grief; he looked along the ranks
and saw Euphorbus lying on the ground with the blood