at last, however, a comrade, Alcimedon,
son of Laerces son of Haemon caught sight of him and came up behind his
chariot. "Automedon," said he, "what god has put this folly into your
heart and robbed you of your right mind, that you fight the Trojans in
the front rank single-handed? He who was your comrade is slain, and
Hector plumes himself on being armed in the armour of the descendant of
Aeacus."

Automedon son of Diores answered, "Alcimedon, there is no one else who
can control and guide the immortal steeds so well as you can, save only
Patroclus--while he was alive--peer of gods in counsel. Take then the
whip and reins, while I go down from the car and fight."

Alcimedon sprang on to the chariot, and caught up the whip and reins,
while Automedon leaped from off the car. When Hector saw him he said to
Aeneas who was near him, "Aeneas, counsellor of the mail-clad Trojans,
I see the steeds of the fleet son of Aeacus come into battle with weak
hands to drive them. I am sure, if you think well, that we might take
them; they will not dare face us if we both attack them."

The valiant son of Anchises was of the same mind, and the pair went
right on, with their shoulders covered under shields of tough dry
ox-hide, overlaid with much bronze. Chromius and Aretus went also with
them, and their hearts beat high with hope that they might kill the men
and capture the horses--fools that they were, for they were not to
return scatheless from their meeting with Automedon, who prayed to
father Jove and was forthwith filled with courage and strength
abounding. He turned to his trusty comrade Alcimedon and said,
"Alcimedon, keep your horses so close up that I may feel their breath
upon my back; I doubt that we shall not stay Hector son of Priam till
he has killed us and mounted behind the horses; he will then either
spread panic among the ranks of the Achaeans, or himself be killed
among the foremost."

On this he cried out to the two Ajaxes and Menelaus, "Ajaxes captains
of the Argives, and Menelaus, give the dead body over to them that are
best able to defend it, and come to the rescue of us living; for Hector
and Aeneas who are the two best men among the Trojans, are pressing us
hard in the full tide of war. Nevertheless the issue lies on the lap of
heaven, I will therefore hurl my spear and leave the rest to Jove."

He poised and hurled as he spoke, whereon the spear struck the round
shield of Aretus, and went right through it