dwelt. 875
  Apollo, so disguised, him thus bespake. 
    Why, Hector, hast thou left the fight? this sloth
  Not well befits thee.  Oh that I as far
  Thee pass’d in force as thou transcendest me,
  Then, not unpunish’d long, should’st thou retire; 880
  But haste, and with thy coursers solid-hoof’d
  Seek out Patroclus, him perchance to slay,
  Should Phoebus have decreed that glory thine. 
    So saying, Apollo join’d the host again. 
  Then noble Hector bade his charioteer 885
  Valiant Cebriones his coursers lash
  Back into battle, while the God himself
  Entering the multitude confounded sore
  The Argives, victory conferring proud
  And glory on Hector and the host of Troy. 890
  But Hector, leaving all beside unslain,
  Furious impell’d his coursers solid-hoof’d
  Against Patroclus; on the other side
  Patroclus from his chariot to the ground
  Leap’d ardent; in his left a spear he bore, 895
  And in his right a marble fragment rough,
  Large as his grasp.  With full collected might
  He hurl’d it; neither was the weapon slow
  To whom he had mark’d, or sent in vain. 
  He smote the charioteer of Hector, bold 900
  Cebriones, King Priam’s spurious son,
  Full on the forehead, while he sway’d the reins. 
  The bone that force withstood not, but the rock
  With ragged points beset dash’d both his brows
  In pieces, and his eyes fell at his feet. 905
  He diver-like, from his exalted stand
  Behind the steeds pitch’d headlong, and expired;
  O’er whom, Patroclus of equestrian fame! 
  Thou didst exult with taunting speech severe. 
    Ye Gods, with what agility he dives! 910
  Ah! it were well if in the fishy deep
  This man were occupied; he might no few
  With oysters satisfy, although the waves
  Were churlish, plunging headlong from his bark
  As easily as from his chariot here. 915
  So then—­in Troy, it seems, are divers too! 
    So saying, on bold Cebriones he sprang
  With all a lion’s force, who, while the folds
  He ravages, is wounded in the breast,
  And, victim of his own fierce courage, dies. 920
  So didst thou spring, Patroclus! to despoil
  Cebriones, and Hector opposite
  Leap’d also to the ground.  Then contest such
  For dead Cebriones those two between
  Arose, as in the lofty mountain-tops 925
  Two lions wage, contending for a deer
  New-slain, both hunger-pinch’d and haughty both. 
  So for Cebriones, alike in arms
  Expert, brave Hector and Patroclus strove
  To pierce each other with the ruthless spear. 930
  First, Hector seized his head, nor loosed