Then Aias leapt upon the Trojans and slew Doryclus, bastard son of Priam, and after him smote Pandocus with a thrust, and likewise Lysander and Pyrasus and Pylartes. And as when a river in flood cometh down upon a plain, a winter torrent from the mountains, driven on by the rain of Zeus, and many a dry oak and many a pine it beareth in its course, and much drift it casteth into the sea; even so glorious Aias charged tumultuously over the plain on that day, slaying horses and men. Nor did Hector as yet know aught thereof, for he was fighting on the left of all the battle by the banks of the river Scamander, where chiefly the heads of warriors were falling, and a cry unquenchable arose, round about great Nestor and warlike Idomeneus. With these had Hector dalliance, and terrible deeds he wrought with the spear and in horsemanship, and he laid waste the battalions of the young men. Yet would the goodly Achaeans in no wise have given ground from their course, had not Alexander, the lord of fair-haired Helen, stayed Machaon, shepherd of the host, in the midst of his valorous deeds, and smitten him on the right shoulder with a three-barbed arrow.
Then sorely did the Achaeans breathing might fear for him, lest haply men should slay him in the turning of the fight. And forthwith Idomeneus spake to goodly Nestor: Nestor, son of Neleus, great glory of the Achaeans, come, get thee upon thy chariot, and let Machaon mount beside thee, and swiftly do thou drive to the ships thy single-hooved horses. For a leech is of the worth of many other men for the cutting out of arrows and the spreading of soothing simples. So spake he, and the horseman, Nestor of Gerenia, failed not to hearken. Forthwith he got him upon his chariot, and beside him mounted Machaon, the son of Asclepius the peerless leech; and he touched the horses with the lash, and nothing loath the pair sped on to the hollow ships, for there were they fain to be. But Cebriones beheld the Trojans being driven in rout, as he stood by Hector's side in his chariot, and he spake to him, saying: Hector, we twain have dalliance with the Danaans here, on the skirts of dolorous war, whereas the other Trojans are driven in rout confusedly, both horses and men.
And it is Aias, son of Telamon, that driveth them; well do I know him, for wide is the shield he hath about his shoulders. Nay, let us too drive thither our horses and car, where most of all horsemen and footmen, vying in evil rivalry, are slaying one another, and the cry goes up unquenchable. So saying he smote the fair-maned horses with the shrill-sounding lash, and they, feeling the blow, fleetly bare the swift car amid the Trojans and Achaeans, trampling on the dead and on the shields, and with blood was all the axle sprinkled beneath, and the rims round about the car, with the drops that smote upon them from the horses' hooves and from the tires. And Hector was eager to enter the throng of men, to leap in and shatter it, and an evil din of war he sent among the Danaans, and scant rest did he give his spear. Nay, he ranged among the ranks of the other warriors with spear and sword and with great stones; only he avoided battle with Aias, son of Telamon. Now father Zeus, throned on high, roused Aias to flight, and he stood in a daze, and on his back he cast his sevenfold shield of bull's-hide, and with an anxious glance toward the throng he gave way, like a wild beast, ever turning him about and retreating slowly step by step.
And even as a tawny lion is driven from the fold of the kine by dogs and country folk, that suffer him not to seize the fattest of the herd, watching the whole night through, but he in his lust for flesh goeth straight on, yet accomplisheth naught thereby, for thick the darts fly to meet him, hurled by bold hands, and blazing brands withal, before which he quaileth, how eager soever he be, and at dawn he departeth with sullen heart; so Aias then gave way before the Trojans sullen at heart, and sorely against his will, for exceedingly did he fear for the ships of the Achaeans. And as when an ass that passeth by a cornfield getteth the better of boys—a lazy ass about whose ribs many a cudgel is broken, and he goeth in and wasteth the deep grain, and the boys beat him with cudgels, though their might is but puny, and hardly do they drive him forth when he hath had his fill of fodder; even so then did the Trojans, high of heart, and their allies, gathered from many lands, smite great Aias, son of Telamon, with spears full upon his shield, and ever press upon him. And Aias would now be mindful of his furious valour, and wheeling upon them would hold back the battalions of the horse-taming Trojans, and now again he would turn him to flee.
But he barred them all from making way to the swift ships, and himself stood between Trojans and Achaeans, battling furiously. And the spears hurled by bold hands were some of them lodged in his great shield, as they sped onward, and many, ere ever they reached his white body, stood fixed midway in the earth, fain to glut themselves with flesh. But when Euaemon's glorious son, Eurypylus, saw him oppressed by thick-flying missiles, he came and stood by his side and hurled with his shining spear, and smote Apisaon, son of Phausius, shepherd of the host, in the liver below the midriff, and straightway loosed his knees; and Eurypylus leapt upon him and set him to strip the harness from his shoulders. But when godlike Alexander marked him stripping the harness from Apisaon, forthwith he drew his bow against Eurypylus, and smote him with an arrow on the right thigh; and the reed of the arrow brake, yet was his thigh made heavy. Then back he shrank into the throng of his comrades, avoiding fate, and he uttered a piercing shout, and called to the Danaans: My friends, leaders and rulers of the Argives, turn ye and stand, and ward off the pitiless day of doom from Aias who is oppressed with missiles; nor do I deem that he will escape from dolorous war. Nay verily, stand ye and face the foe about great Aias, son of Telamon. So spake the wounded Eurypylus, and they came and stood close beside him, leaning their shields against their shoulders and holding their spears on high; and toward them came Aias, and turned and stood when he had reached the throng of his comrades.
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