cheers
Against the lion or the forest-boar,
So Priameian Hector cheer’d his host
Magnanimous against the sons of Greece, 360
Terrible as gore-tainted Mars.  Among
The foremost warriors, with success elate
He strode, and flung himself into the fight
Black as a storm which sudden from on high
Descending, furrows deep the gloomy flood. 365

    Then whom slew Priameian Hector first,

Whom last, by Jove, that day, with glory crown’d? 
Assaeus, Dolops, Orus, Agelaues,
Autonoues, Hipponoues, AEsymnus,
Opheltius and Opites first he slew, 370
All leaders of the Greeks, and, after these,
The people.  As when whirlwinds of the West
A storm encounter from the gloomy South,
The waves roll multitudinous, and the foam
Upswept by wandering gusts fills all the air, 375
So Hector swept the Grecians.  Then defeat
Past remedy and havoc had ensued,
Then had the routed Grecians, flying, sought
Their ships again, but that Ulysses[12] thus
Summon’d the brave Tydides to his aid. 380

    Whence comes it, Diomede, that we forget

Our wonted courage?  Hither, O my friend! 
And, fighting at my side, ward off the shame
That must be ours, should Hector seize the fleet. 

    To whom the valiant Diomede replied. 385

I will be firm; trust me thou shalt not find
Me shrinking; yet small fruit of our attempts
Shall follow, for the Thunderer, not to us,
But to the Trojan, gives the glorious day. 

    The Hero spake, and from his chariot cast 390

Thymbraeus to the ground pierced through the pap,
While by Ulysses’ hand his charioteer
Godlike Molion, fell.  The warfare thus
Of both for ever closed, them there they left,
And plunging deep into the warrior-throng 395
Troubled the multitude.  As when two boars
Turn desperate on the close-pursuing hounds,
So they, returning on the host of Troy,
Slew on all sides, and overtoil’d with flight
From Hector’s arm, the Greeks meantime respired. 400
Two warriors, next, their chariot and themselves
They took, plebeians brave, sons of the seer
Percosian Merops in prophetic skill
Surpassing all; he both his sons forbad
The mortal field, but disobedient they 405
Still sought it, for their destiny prevail’d. 
Spear-practised Diomede of life deprived
Both these, and stripp’d them of their glorious arms,
While by Ulysses’ hand Hippodamus
Died and Hypeirochus.  And now the son 410
Of Saturn, looking down from Ida, poised
The doubtful war, and mutual deaths they dealt. 
Tydides plunged his spear into the groin
Of the illustrious son of Paeon, bold
Agastrophus.  No steeds at his command