As he spoke he flung himself on Cebriones with the
spring, as it were, of a lion that while attacking
a stockyard is himself struck in the chest, and his
courage is his own bane—even so furiously,
O Patroclus, did you then spring upon Cebriones.
Hector sprang also from his chariot to the ground.
The pair then fought over the body of Cebriones.
As two lions fight fiercely on some high mountain
over the body of a stag that they have killed, even
so did these two mighty warriors, Patroclus son of
Menoetius and brave Hector, hack and hew at one another
over the corpse of Cebriones. Hector would not
let him go when he had once got him by the head, while
Patroclus kept fast hold of his feet, and a fierce
fight raged between the other Danaans and Trojans.
As the east and south wind buffet one another when
they beat upon some dense forest on the mountains—there
is beech and ash and spreading cornel; the top of
the trees roar as they beat on one another, and one
can hear the boughs cracking and breaking—even
so did the Trojans and Achaeans spring upon one another
and lay about each other, and neither side would give
way. Many a pointed spear fell to ground and
many a winged arrow sped from its bow-string about
the body of Cebriones; many a great stone, moreover,
beat on many a shield as they fought around his body,
but there he lay in the whirling clouds of dust, all
huge and hugely, heedless of his driving now.
So long as the sun was still high in mid-heaven the
weapons of either side were alike deadly, and the
people fell; but when he went down towards the time
when men loose their oxen, the Achaeans proved to
be beyond all forecast stronger, so that they drew
Cebriones out of range of the darts and tumult of the
Trojans, and stripped the armour from his shoulders.
Then Patroclus sprang like Mars with fierce intent
and a terrific shout upon the Trojans, and thrice
did he kill nine men; but as he was coming on like
a god for a time, then, O Patroclus, was the hour
of your end approaching, for Phoebus fought you in
fell earnest. Patroclus did not see him as he
moved about in the crush, for he was enshrouded in
thick darkness, and the god struck him from behind
on his back and his broad shoulders with the flat
of his hand, so that his eyes turned dizzy. Phoebus
Apollo beat the helmet from off his head, and it rolled
rattling off under the horses’ feet, where its
horse-hair plumes were all begrimed with dust and
blood. Never indeed had that helmet fared so
before, for it had served to protect the head and comely
forehead of the godlike hero Achilles. Now, however,
Zeus delivered it over to be worn by Hector.
Nevertheless the end of Hector also was near.
The bronze-shod spear, so great and so strong, was
broken in the hand of Patroclus, while his shield
that covered him from head to foot fell to the ground
as did also the band that held it, and Apollo undid
the fastenings of his corslet.
