§12.340καὶ πυλέων· πᾶσαι γὰρ ἐπώχατο, τοὶ δὲ κατʼ αὐτὰς
And of the gates; for they were all closed, and they, standing before them, tried to break them by force and enter.
§12.341ἱστάμενοι πειρῶντο βίῃ ῥήξαντες ἐσελθεῖν.
Standing there, they tried to break through by force and enter.
§12.342αἶψα δʼ ἐπʼ Αἴαντα προΐει κήρυκα Θοώτην· §12.343ἔρχεο δῖε Θοῶτα, θέων Αἴαντα κάλεσσον, §12.344ἀμφοτέρω μὲν μᾶλλον· ὃ γάρ κʼ ὄχʼ ἄριστον ἁπάντων §12.345εἴη, ἐπεὶ τάχα τῇδε τετεύξεται αἰπὺς ὄλεθρος.
Immediately Menestheus sent the herald Thootes to Ajax: "Go, noble Thootes, run and call Ajax, both of them preferably; for that would be far the best of all, since soon here a sheer destruction will be wrought.
§12.346ὧδε γὰρ ἔβρισαν Λυκίων ἀγοί, οἳ τὸ πάρος περ §12.347ζαχρηεῖς τελέθουσι κατὰ κρατερὰς ὑσμίνας.
For here the leaders of the Lycians press hard, who even before are ever fierce in grim battles.
§12.348εἰ δέ σφιν καὶ κεῖθι πόνος καὶ νεῖκος ὄρωρεν, §12.349ἀλλά περ οἶος ἴτω Τελαμώνιος ἄλκιμος Αἴας, §12.350καί οἱ Τεῦκρος ἅμα σπέσθω τόξων ἐῢ εἰδώς. §12.351ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἄρα οἱ κῆρυξ ἀπίθησεν ἀκούσας, §12.352βῆ δὲ θέειν παρὰ τεῖχος Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων, §12.353στῆ δὲ παρʼ Αἰάντεσσι κιών, εἶθαρ δὲ προσηύδα· §12.354Αἴαντʼ Ἀργείων ἡγήτορε χαλκοχιτώνων §12.355ἠνώγει Πετεῶο διοτρεφέος φίλος υἱὸς §12.356κεῖσʼ ἴμεν, ὄφρα πόνοιο μίνυνθά περ ἀντιάσητον §12.357ἀμφοτέρω μὲν μᾶλλον· ὃ γάρ κʼ ὄχʼ ἄριστον ἁπάντων §12.358εἴη, ἐπεὶ τάχα κεῖθι τετεύξεται αἰπὺς ὄλεθρος·
But if for them also there trouble and conflict have arisen, let at least the brave Telamonian Ajax come alone, and let Teucer follow with him, well skilled in archery." So he spoke, and the herald did not disobey when he heard, but went running along the wall of the bronze-clad Achaeans, and came and stood by the two Ajaxes, and straightway spoke to them: "Ajaxes, leaders of the bronze-clad Argives, the beloved son of Peteos, nurtured by Zeus, bids you go thither, so that you may face the trouble for even a little while, both of them preferably; for that would be far the best of all, since soon there a sheer destruction will be wrought.
§12.359ὧδε γὰρ ἔβρισαν Λυκίων ἀγοί, οἳ τὸ πάρος περ §12.360ζαχρηεῖς τελέθουσι κατὰ κρατερὰς ὑσμίνας.
For there the leaders of the Lycians press hard, who even before are ever fierce in grim battles.
§12.361εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐνθάδε περ πόλεμος καὶ νεῖκος ὄρωρεν, §12.362ἀλλά περ οἶος ἴτω Τελαμώνιος ἄλκιμος Αἴας, §12.363καί οἱ Τεῦκρος ἅμα σπέσθω τόξων ἐῢ εἰδώς. §12.364ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἀπίθησε μέγας Τελαμώνιος Αἴας.
But if here also indeed war and conflict have arisen, let at least the brave Telamonian Ajax come alone, and let Teucer follow with him, well skilled in archery." So he spoke, and great Telamonian Ajax did not disobey.
§12.365αὐτίκʼ Ὀϊλιάδην ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα· §12.366Αἶαν σφῶϊ μὲν αὖθι, σὺ καὶ κρατερὸς Λυκομήδης, §12.367ἑσταότες Δαναοὺς ὀτρύνετον ἶφι μάχεσθαι· §12.368αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ κεῖσʼ εἶμι καὶ ἀντιόω πολέμοιο· §12.369αἶψα δʼ ἐλεύσομαι αὖτις, ἐπὴν εὖ τοῖς ἐπαμύνω. §12.370ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας ἀπέβη Τελαμώνιος Αἴας, §12.371καί οἱ Τεῦκρος ἅμʼ ᾖε κασίγνητος καὶ ὄπατρος· §12.372τοῖς δʼ ἅμα Πανδίων Τεύκρου φέρε καμπύλα τόξα.
Straightway he spoke winged words to the son of Oileus: "Ajax, do you two remain here, you and strong Lycomedes, and standing here, urge the Danaans to fight with might; but I will go thither and face the battle, and I will come back quickly, when I have fully aided them." So saying, Telamonian Ajax departed, and with him went Teucer, his brother by the same father; and with them Pandion carried the curved bow of Teucer.
§12.373εὖτε Μενεσθῆος μεγαθύμου πύργον ἵκοντο §12.374τείχεος ἐντὸς ἰόντες, ἐπειγομένοισι δʼ ἵκοντο, §12.375οἳ δʼ ἐπʼ ἐπάλξεις βαῖνον ἐρεμνῇ λαίλαπι ἶσοι §12.376ἴφθιμοι Λυκίων ἡγήτορες ἠδὲ μέδοντες·
When they came to the tower of great-hearted Menestheus, going within the wall, and they arrived to those who were hard pressed, the strong leaders and rulers of the Lycians were mounting onto the breastworks, like a dark whirlwind.
§12.377σὺν δʼ ἐβάλοντο μάχεσθαι ἐναντίον, ὦρτο δʼ ἀϋτή.
And they clashed together to fight face to face, and the battle cry arose.
§12.378Αἴας δὲ πρῶτος Τελαμώνιος ἄνδρα κατέκτα §12.379Σαρπήδοντος ἑταῖρον Ἐπικλῆα μεγάθυμον §12.380μαρμάρῳ ὀκριόεντι βαλών, ὅ ῥα τείχεος ἐντὸς §12.381κεῖτο μέγας παρʼ ἔπαλξιν ὑπέρτατος· οὐδέ κέ μιν ῥέα §12.382χείρεσσʼ ἀμφοτέρῃς ἔχοι ἀνὴρ οὐδὲ μάλʼ ἡβῶν, §12.383οἷοι νῦν βροτοί εἰσʼ· ὃ δʼ ἄρʼ ὑψόθεν ἔμβαλʼ ἀείρας, §12.384θλάσσε δὲ τετράφαλον κυνέην, σὺν δʼ ὀστέʼ ἄραξε §12.385πάντʼ ἄμυδις κεφαλῆς· ὃ δʼ ἄρʼ ἀρνευτῆρι ἐοικὼς §12.386κάππεσʼ ἀφʼ ὑψηλοῦ πύργου, λίπε δʼ ὀστέα θυμός.
And Telamonian Ajax was first to slay a man, the great-hearted Epicles, companion of Sarpedon, striking him with a jagged marble stone, which within the wall lay, huge, right by the breastwork at the top; not easily could a man hold it with both hands, not even one in the prime of youth, such as mortals are now; but he lifted it high and threw it, and shattered his four-crested helmet, and crushed together the bones of his head all at once; and he, like a diver, fell from the high tower, and his spirit left his bones.
§12.387Τεῦκρος δὲ Γλαῦκον κρατερὸν παῖδʼ Ἱππολόχοιο §12.388ἰῷ ἐπεσσύμενον βάλε τείχεος ὑψηλοῖο, §12.389ᾗ ῥʼ ἴδε γυμνωθέντα βραχίονα, παῦσε δὲ χάρμης.
And Teucer struck Glaucus, the brave son of Hippolochus, with an arrow as he rushed upon the high wall, where he saw his arm laid bare, and stayed him from fighting.
§12.390ἂψ δʼ ἀπὸ τείχεος ἆλτο λαθών, ἵνα μή τις Ἀχαιῶν §12.391βλήμενον ἀθρήσειε καὶ εὐχετόῳτʼ ἐπέεσσι.
Back from the wall he leaped secretly, lest any of the Achaeans should see him wounded and boast over him with words.
§12.392Σαρπήδοντι δʼ ἄχος γένετο Γλαύκου ἀπιόντος §12.393αὐτίκʼ ἐπεί τʼ ἐνόησεν· ὅμως δʼ οὐ λήθετο χάρμης, §12.394ἀλλʼ ὅ γε Θεστορίδην Ἀλκμάονα δουρὶ τυχήσας §12.395νύξʼ, ἐκ δʼ ἔσπασεν ἔγχος· ὃ δʼ ἑσπόμενος πέσε δουρὶ §12.396πρηνής, ἀμφὶ δέ οἱ βράχε τεύχεα ποικίλα χαλκῷ,
And grief came upon Sarpedon when Glaucus departed, as soon as he perceived it; yet he did not forget the fight, but aiming at Alcmaon, son of Thestor, with his spear, he stabbed him, and drew out the spear; and he, following the spear, fell headlong, and around him clanged his armour, ornate with bronze.
§12.397Σαρπηδὼν δʼ ἄρʼ ἔπαλξιν ἑλὼν χερσὶ στιβαρῇσιν §12.398ἕλχʼ, ἣ δʼ ἕσπετο πᾶσα διαμπερές, αὐτὰρ ὕπερθε §12.399τεῖχος ἐγυμνώθη, πολέεσσι δὲ θῆκε κέλευθον.
And Sarpedon, grasping the breastwork with his strong hands, pulled, and it followed all together completely, and from above the wall was laid bare, and he made a path for many.
§12.400τὸν δʼ Αἴας καὶ Τεῦκρος ὁμαρτήσανθʼ ὃ μὲν ἰῷ §12.401βεβλήκει τελαμῶνα περὶ στήθεσσι φαεινὸν §12.402ἀσπίδος ἀμφιβρότης· ἀλλὰ Ζεὺς κῆρας ἄμυνε §12.403παιδὸς ἑοῦ, μὴ νηυσὶν ἔπι πρύμνῃσι δαμείη·
And Ajax and Teucer together attacked him; the one with an arrow struck the gleaming strap around his chest of his shield that covered the whole body; but Zeus warded off death from his own son, lest he should be overcome at the sterns of the ships.