“Haste thee, Patroclus, for I see the fire rising up from the ships.  Put thou on the armor, and I will call my people to the war.”  So Patroclus put on the armor—­corselet, and shield, and helmet—­and bound upon his shoulder the silver-studded sword, and took a mighty spear in his hand.  But the great Pelian spear he took not, for that no man but Achilles might wield.  Then Automedon yoked the horses to the chariot, Bayard and Piebald, and with them in the side harness, Pedasus; and they two were deathless steeds, but he was mortal.

Meanwhile Achilles had called the Myrmidons to battle.  Fifty ships had he brought to Troy, and in each there were fifty men.  Five leaders they had, and the bravest of the five was Pisander.

Then Achilles said, “Forget not, ye Myrmidons, the bold words that ye spake against the men of Troy during the days of my wrath, making complaint that I kept you from the battle against your will.  Now, therefore, ye have that which you desired.”

So the Myrmidons went to the battle in close array, helmet to helmet, and shield to shield, close as the stones with which a builder builds a wall.  And in front went Patroclus, and Automedon in the chariot beside him.  Then Achilles went to his tent and took a great cup from the chest, which Thetis his mother had given him.  Now no man drank of that cup but he only, nor did he pour out of it libations to any of the Gods, but only to Zeus.  This first he cleansed with sulphur, and then with water from the spring.  And after this he washed his hands, and stood in the midst of the space before his tent, and poured out of it to Zeus, saying, “O Zeus, I send my comrade to this battle; make him strong and bold, and give him glory, and bring him home safe to the ships, and my people with him.”

So he prayed, and Father Zeus heard him, and part he granted and part denied.

But now Patroclus with the Myrmidons had come to where the battle was raging about the ship of Protesilaus, and when the men of Troy beheld him they thought that Achilles had forgotten his wrath and was come forth to the war.  And first Patroclus slew Pyraechmes, who was the chief of the Paeonians who live on the banks of the broad Axius.  Then the men of Troy turned to flee, and many chiefs of fame fell by the spears of the Greeks.  So the battle rolled back to the trench, and in the trench many chariots of the Trojans were broken, but the horses of Achilles went across it at a stride, so nimble were they and strong.  And the heart of Patroclus was set to slay Hector; but he could not overtake him, so swift were his horses.  Then did Patroclus turn his chariot, and keep back those that fled, that they should not go to the city, and rushed hither and thither, still slaying as he went.