lies, and chose to himself Glaucus and warlike
Asteropaeus; for they appeared to him, next to himself decidedly the
bravest of the rest: for he, indeed, excelled among all. When they then
had fitted each other together[396] with interlaced ox-hide bucklers,
they advanced, full of courage, direct against the Greeks, nor expected
that they would sustain them, but that they would fall in flight into
their black ships.

Then the other Trojans and far-summoned allies obeyed the counsel of
blameless Polydamas; but Asius, son of Hyrtacus, leader of heroes, was
unwilling to relinquish his horses and attendant charioteer, but with
them advanced to the swift ships,--foolish! Nor was he destined to
return again, borne on his steeds and chariot from the ships to
wind-swept Ilium, having avoided evil destiny. For him unlucky fate
first encircled from the spear of Idomeneus, the illustrious son of
Deucalion. For he rushed towards the left of the ships, by the way in
which the Greeks were returning from the plain with their horses and
chariots. Thither he drove his horses and his chariot, nor did he find
the gates closed[397] in the portal, or the long bar up, but the men
held them wide open, that they might safely receive at the ships any of
their companions flying from the battle. He designedly guided his steeds
right onward in that way, and [his troops], shrilly shouting, followed
along with him; for they supposed that the Greeks could no longer
sustain them, but would fall in flight into the black ships--fools! for
at the gates they found two very brave heroes, the magnanimous sons of
the warlike Lapithae, the one the son of Pirithous, gallant Polypoetes,
the other Leonteus, equal to man-slaughtering Mars. These two then stood
before the lofty gates, as tall oaks on the mountains, which abide the
wind and rain at all seasons, remaining firmly fixed by their great and
wide-spreading roots; so they too, trusting to their hands and strength,
awaited mighty Asius coming on, nor fled. But the troops, lifting high
their well-seasoned bucklers, advanced with loud shouting directly
towards the well-built wall, round their king Asius, and Iaemenus, and
Orestes, Acamas, the son of Asius, Thoon, and oenomaeus. Hitherto indeed
these, remaining within, were exhorting the well-armed Greeks to fight
for the ships; but when they perceived the Trojans rushing against the
wall, and confusion and flight of the Greeks arose, both darting out,
fought