edon, his faithful comrade:

[Footnote 564: Cf. AEn. x. 501, sqq. So Milton, P.L. ix. 404:--

"O much deceived, much failing, hapless Eve,
Of thy presumed return! event perverse!"]

"O Alcimedon, do not now detain the steeds far from me; but [keep them]
breathing closely at my back; for I do not think that Hector, the son of
Priam, will abstain from violence, before that he has mounted the
beautiful-maned horses of Achilles, having slain both of us, and put to
rout the ranks of Grecian heroes; or himself be slain among the first."

Thus saying, he called upon the Ajaces, and Menelaus: "Ye Ajaces,
leaders of the Greeks, and Menelaus, leave then the dead body to those,
as many as are bravest, to defend it on all sides, and to repulse the
ranks of men; but from us who are alive avert the merciless day. For
hither violently rush through the lamentable fight Hector and AEneas, who
are the best of the Trojans. But all these things rest upon the knees of
the gods; for I also will hurl, and all these things will be a care to
Jove."

He said; and, brandishing, hurled his long-shadowed spear, and struck
upon the shield of Aretus, equal on all sides; it however did not repel
the spear, but the brass went entirely through, and passed through the
belt into the bottom of his belly. And as when a man in youthful vigour,
holding a sharp axe, cuts through the whole tendon, striking behind the
horns of a wild bull; but it, leaping forward, falls; so he, springing
forward, fell supine; and the sharp spear, quivering in his entrails,
relaxed his limbs. Then Hector took aim at Automedon with his shining
spear, but he, seeing it in front of him, avoided the brazen weapon; for
he bent forward. But the long spear was fixed in the ground behind him;
and moreover the nether end of the spear was shaken; but there then the
strong weapon spent its force. Then truly they would have engaged hand
to hand with their swords, had not the eager Ajaces, who came through
the crowd, at the call of their companion, separated them. But Hector,
AEneas, and godlike Chromius, greatly dreading them, retired back again,
and left Aretus lying there, lacerated as to his heart; but him
Automedon, equal to swift Mars, despoiled of his armour, and, boasting,
uttered this speech:

"Surely now I have a little relieved my heart of sorrow for the dead son
of Menoetius, although having slain but an inferior man."

Thus having spoken, seizing the gore-