ks; so he chose a new
bowstring, and fitted it, and strung the bow, and chose an arrow from his
quiver, and aimed at the ankle of Achilles, where it was bare beneath the
greave, or leg-guard of metal, that the God had fashioned for him.
Through the ankle flew the arrow, and Achilles wheeled round, weak as he
was, and stumbled, and fell, and the armour that the God had wrought was
defiled with dust and blood.

Then Achilles rose again, and cried: "What coward has smitten me with a
secret arrow from afar? Let him stand forth and meet me with sword and
spear!" So speaking he seized the shaft with his strong hands and tore
it out of the wound, and much blood gushed, and darkness came over his
eyes. Yet he staggered forward, striking blindly, and smote Orythaon, a
dear friend of Hector, through the helmet, and others he smote, but now
his force failed him, and he leaned on his spear, and cried his warcry,
and said, "Cowards of Troy, ye shall not all escape my spear, dying as I
am." But as he spoke he fell, and all his armour rang around him, yet
the Trojans stood apart and watched; and as hunters watch a dying lion
not daring to go nigh him, so the Trojans stood in fear till Achilles
drew his latest breath. Then from the wall the Trojan women raised a
great cry of joy over him who had slain the noble Hector: and thus was
fulfilled the prophecy of Hector, that Achilles should fall in the Scaean
gateway, by the hand of Paris.

Then the best of the Trojans rushed forth from the gate to seize the body
of Achilles, and his glorious armour, but the Greeks were as eager to
carry the body to the ships that it might have due burial. Round the
dead Achilles men fought long and sore, and both sides were mixed, Greeks
and Trojans, so that men dared not shoot arrows from the walls of Troy
lest they should kill their own friends. Paris, and Aeneas, and Glaucus,
who had been the friend of Sarpedon, led the Trojans, and Aias and
Ulysses led the Greeks, for we are not told that Agamemnon was fighting
in this great battle of the war. Now as angry wild bees flock round a
man who is taking their honeycombs, so the Trojans gathered round Aias,
striving to stab him, but he set his great shield in front, and smote and
slew all that came within reach of his spear. Ulysses, too, struck down
many, and though a spear was thrown and pierced his leg near the knee he
stood firm, protecting the body of Achilles. At last Ulysses caught the
body