e any of the other
gods. Therefore she put strength into his knees and shoulders, and made
him as bold as a fly, which, though driven off will yet come again and
bite if it can, so dearly does it love man's blood--even so bold as
this did she make him as he stood over Patroclus and threw his spear.
Now there was among the Trojans a man named Podes, son of Eetion, who
was both rich and valiant. Hector held him in the highest honour for he
was his comrade and boon companion; the spear of Menelaus struck this
man in the girdle just as he had turned in flight, and went right
through him. Whereon he fell heavily forward, and Menelaus son of
Atreus drew off his body from the Trojans into the ranks of his own
people.

Apollo then went up to Hector and spurred him on to fight, in the
likeness of Phaenops son of Asius who lived in Abydos and was the most
favoured of all Hector's guests. In his likeness Apollo said, "Hector,
who of the Achaeans will fear you henceforward now that you have
quailed before Menelaus who has ever been rated poorly as a soldier?
Yet he has now got a corpse away from the Trojans single-handed, and
has slain your own true comrade, a man brave among the foremost, Podes
son of Eetion."

A dark cloud of grief fell upon Hector as he heard, and he made his way
to the front clad in full armour. Thereon the son of Saturn seized his
bright tasselled aegis, and veiled Ida in cloud: he sent forth his
lightnings and his thunders, and as he shook his aegis he gave victory
to the Trojans and routed the Achaeans.

The panic was begun by Peneleos the Boeotian, for while keeping his
face turned ever towards the foe he had been hit with a spear on the
upper part of the shoulder; a spear thrown by Polydamas had grazed the
top of the bone, for Polydamas had come up to him and struck him from
close at hand. Then Hector in close combat struck Leitus son of noble
Alectryon in the hand by the wrist, and disabled him from fighting
further. He looked about him in dismay, knowing that never again should
he wield spear in battle with the Trojans. While Hector was in pursuit
of Leitus, Idomeneus struck him on the breastplate over his chest near
the nipple; but the spear broke in the shaft, and the Trojans cheered
aloud. Hector then aimed at Idomeneus son of Deucalion as he was
standing on his chariot, and very narrowly missed him, but the spear
hit Coiranus, a follower and charioteer of Meriones who had come with
him from Lyctu