ards the
front like a wild boar upon the mountains when he stands at bay in the
forest glades and routs the hounds and lusty youths that have attacked
him--even so did Ajax son of Telamon passing easily in among the
phalanxes of the Trojans, disperse those who had bestridden Patroclus
and were most bent on winning glory by dragging him off to their city.
At this moment Hippothous brave son of the Pelasgian Lethus, in his
zeal for Hector and the Trojans, was dragging the body off by the foot
through the press of the fight, having bound a strap round the sinews
near the ancle; but a mischief soon befell him from which none of those
could save him who would have gladly done so, for the son of Telamon
sprang forward and smote him on his bronze-cheeked helmet. The plumed
headpiece broke about the point of the weapon, struck at once by the
spear and by the strong hand of Ajax, so that the bloody brain came
oozing out through the crest-socket. His strength then failed him and
he let Patroclus' foot drop from his hand, as he fell full length dead
upon the body; thus he died far from the fertile land of Larissa, and
never repaid his parents the cost of bringing him up, for his life was
cut short early by the spear of mighty Ajax. Hector then took aim at
Ajax with a spear, but he saw it coming and just managed to avoid it;
the spear passed on and struck Schedius son of noble Iphitus, captain
of the Phoceans, who dwelt in famed Panopeus and reigned over much
people; it struck him under the middle of the collar-bone the bronze
point went right through him, coming out at the bottom of his
shoulder-blade, and his armour rang rattling round him as he fell
heavily to the ground. Ajax in his turn struck noble Phorcys son of
Phaenops in the middle of the belly as he was bestriding Hippothous,
and broke the plate of his cuirass; whereon the spear tore out his
entrails and he clutched the ground in his palm as he fell to earth.
Hector and those who were in the front rank then gave ground, while the
Argives raised a loud cry of triumph, and drew off the bodies of
Phorcys and Hippothous which they stripped presently of their armour.

The Trojans would now have been worsted by the brave Achaeans and
driven back to Ilius through their own cowardice, while the Argives, so
great was their courage and endurance, would have achieved a triumph
even against the will of Jove, if Apollo had not roused Aeneas, in the
likeness of Periphas son of Epytus,