But that Apollo the illustrious prize
  Denied him, who in semblance of the Chief 85
  Of the Ciconians, Mentes, prompted forth
  Against him Hector terrible as Mars,
  Whose spirit thus in accents wing’d he roused. 
    Hector! the chase is vain; here thou pursuest
  The horses of AEacides the brave, 90
  Which thou shalt never win, for they are steeds
  Of fiery nature, such as ill endure
  To draw or carry mortal man, himself
  Except, whom an immortal mother bore. 
  Meantime, bold Menelaus, in defence 95
  Of dead Patroclus, hath a Trojan slain
  Of highest note, Euphorbus, Panthus’ son,
  And hath his might in arms for ever quell’d. 
    So spake the God and to the fight return’d. 
  But grief intolerable at that word 100
  Seized Hector; darting through the ranks his eye,
  He knew at once who stripp’d Euphorbus’ arms,
  And him knew also lying on the field,
  And from his wide wound bleeding copious still. 
  Then dazzling bright in arms, through all the van 105
  He flew, shrill-shouting, fierce as Vulcan’s fire
  Unquenchable; nor were his shouts unheard
  By Atreus’ son, who with his noble mind
  Conferring sad, thus to himself began. 
    Alas! if I forsake these gorgeous spoils, 110
  And leave Patroclus for my glory slain,
  I fear lest the Achaians at that sight
  Incensed, reproach me; and if, urged by shame,
  I fight with Hector and his host, alone,
  Lest, hemm’d around by multitudes, I fall; 115
  For Hector, by his whole embattled force
  Attended, comes.  But whither tend my thoughts? 
  No man may combat with another fenced
  By power divine and whom the Gods exalt,
  But he must draw down wo on his own head. 120
  Me, therefore, none of all Achaia’s host
  Will blame indignant, seeing my retreat
  From Hector, whom themselves the Gods assist. 
  But might the battle-shout of Ajax once
  Reach me, with force united we would strive, 125
  Even in opposition to a God,
  To rescue for Achilles’ sake, his friend. 
  Task arduous! but less arduous than this. 
    While he thus meditated, swift advanced
  The Trojan ranks, with Hector at their head. 130
  He then, retiring slow, and turning oft,
  Forsook the body.  As by dogs and swains
  With clamors loud and spears driven from the stalls
  A bearded lion goes, his noble heart
  Abhors retreat, and slow he quits the prey; 135
  So Menelaus with slow steps forsook
  Patroclus, and arrived in front, at length,
  Of his own phalanx, stood, with sharpen’d eyes
  Seeking vast Ajax, son of Telamon. 
  Him leftward, soon, of all the field he