hall draw on his
death and fate, let him die; it is not inglorious to him to die fighting
for his country; but his wife shall be safe, and his children left
behind him, his house and patrimony unimpaired, if indeed the Greeks
depart with their ships to their dear father-land."

So saying, he kindled the strength and spirit of each: and Ajax again,
on the other side, animated his companions:

"Shame, oh Argives! now is the moment for us either to perish, or to be
preserved and to repel destruction from the ships. Do ye expect that if
crest-tossing Hector capture the ships, ye will reach on foot each his
native land? Do ye not hear Hector, who now rages to fire the ships,
inciting all his people? Nor indeed does he invite them to come to a
dance, but to battle. But for us there is no opinion or design better
than this, to join in close fight our hands and strength. Better, either
to perish at once, or live, rather than thus uselessly to be wasted
away[497] for a length of time in dire contention at the ships, by
inferior men."

[Footnote 497: The verb [Greek: streygesthai], which may be
compared with [Greek: apolibazein] in Od. xii. 351, is
interpreted by Apollonius [Greek: kataponeisthai]. Cf. Hesych. t.
i. p. 1603, t. ii. p. 1278.]

So saying, he aroused the strength and courage of each. Then Hector
indeed slew Schedius, son of Perimedes, prince of the Phoceans; and Ajax
slew Laodamas, leader of the infantry, the illustrious son of Antenor.
Polydamas slew Cyllenian Otus, the companion of the son of Phyleus,
chief of the magnanimous Epeans. Meges rushed upon him, perceiving it,
but Polydamas stooped obliquely, and he missed him; for Apollo did not
suffer the son of Panthous to be subdued among the foremost warriors.
But he wounded Croesmus in the middle of the breast with his spear, but
falling, he resounded; and he stripped the arms from his shoulders. In
the meantime Dolops, the descendant of Lampus, well skilled in the
spear, leaped upon him (he whom Lampus, son of Laomedon, the best of
men, begat, skilled in impetuous fight), who then attacking him in close
fight, struck the middle of Meges's shield with his spear: but the thick
corslet defended him, which he wore, compact in its cavities. This
Phyleus formerly brought from Ephyre, from the river Selleis: for his
host, Euphetes, king of men, had given it to him, to bear into the
battle as a defence against the enemy; and which then warded off
destruc