Leonteus, terrible as gore-tainted Mars. 
  These two, defenders of the lofty gates, 165
  Stood firm before them.  As when two tall oaks
  On the high mountains day by day endure
  Rough wind and rain, by deep-descending roots
  Of hugest growth fast-founded in the soil;
  So they, sustain’d by conscious valor, saw, 170
  Unmoved, high towering Asius on his way,
  Nor fear’d him aught, nor shrank from his approach
  Right on toward the barrier, lifting high
  Their season’d bucklers and with clamor loud
  The band advanced, King Asius at their head, 175
  With whom Iaemenus, expert in arms,
  Orestes, Thoeon, Acamas the son
  Of Asius, and Oenomaeus, led them on. 
  Till now, the warlike pair, exhorting loud
  The Grecians to defend the fleet, had stood 180
  Within the gates; but soon as they perceived
  The Trojans swift advancing to the wall,
  And heard a cry from all the flying Greeks,
  Both sallying, before the gates they fought
  Like forest-boars, which hearing in the hills 185
  The crash of hounds and huntsmen nigh at hand,
  With start oblique lay many a sapling flat
  Short-broken by the root, nor cease to grind
  Their sounding tusks, till by the spear they die;
  So sounded on the breasts of those brave two 190
  The smitten brass; for resolute they fought,
  Embolden’d by their might who kept the wall,
  And trusting in their own; they, in defence
  Of camp and fleet and life, thick battery hurl’d
  Of stones precipitated from the towers; 195
  Frequent as snows they fell, which stormy winds,
  Driving the gloomy clouds, shake to the ground,
  Till all the fertile earth lies cover’d deep. 
  Such volley pour’d the Greeks, and such return’d
  The Trojans; casques of hide, arid and tough, 200
  And bossy shields rattled, by such a storm
  Assail’d of millstone masses from above. 
  Then Asius, son of Hyrtacus, a groan
  Indignant utter’d; on both thighs he smote
  With disappointment furious, and exclaim’d, 205
    Jupiter! even thou art false become,
  And altogether such.  Full sure I deem’d
  That not a Grecian hero should abide
  One moment force invincible as ours,
  And lo! as wasps ring-streaked,[1] or bees that build 210
  Their dwellings in the highway’s craggy side
  Leave not their hollow home, but fearless wait
  The hunter’s coming, in their brood’s defence,
  So these, although two only, from the gates
  Move not, nor will, till either seized or slain. 215
    So Asius spake, but speaking so, changed not
  The mind of Jove on Hector’s glory bent. 
  Others, as obstinate, at other gates
  Such deeds perform’d, that to enumerate