uit of Polydorus son of Priam, whom his father had
always forbidden to fight because he was the youngest of his sons, the
one he loved best, and the fastest runner. He, in his folly and showing
off the fleetness of his feet, was rushing about among front ranks
until he lost his life, for Achilles struck him in the middle of the
back as he was darting past him: he struck him just at the golden
fastenings of his belt and where the two pieces of the double
breastplate overlapped. The point of the spear pierced him through and
came out by the navel, whereon he fell groaning on to his knees and a
cloud of darkness overshadowed him as he sank holding his entrails in
his hands.

When Hector saw his brother Polydorus with his entrails in his hands
and sinking down upon the ground, a mist came over his eyes, and he
could not bear to keep longer at a distance; he therefore poised his
spear and darted towards Achilles like a flame of fire. When Achilles
saw him he bounded forward and vaunted saying, "This is he that has
wounded my heart most deeply and has slain my beloved comrade. Not for
long shall we two quail before one another on the highways of war."

He looked fiercely on Hector and said, "Draw near, that you may meet
your doom the sooner." Hector feared him not and answered, "Son of
Peleus, think not that your words can scare me as though I were a
child; I too if I will can brag and talk unseemly; I know that you are
a mighty warrior, mightier by far than I, nevertheless the issue lies
in the lap of heaven whether I, worse man though I be, may not slay you
with my spear, for this too has been found keen ere now."

He hurled his spear as he spoke, but Minerva breathed upon it, and
though she breathed but very lightly she turned it back from going
towards Achilles, so that it returned to Hector and lay at his feet in
front of him. Achilles then sprang furiously on him with a loud cry,
bent on killing him, but Apollo caught him up easily as a god can, and
hid him in a thick darkness. Thrice did Achilles spring towards him
spear in hand, and thrice did he waste his blow upon the air. When he
rushed forward for the fourth time as though he were a god, he shouted
aloud saying, "Hound, this time too you have escaped death--but of a
truth it came exceedingly near you. Phoebus Apollo, to whom it seems
you pray before you go into battle, has again saved you; but if I too
have any friend among the gods I will surely make an end of