And, lifeless, instant, on the field he fell. 
  He from Paeonia the deep soil’d to Troy
  Came forth, Asteropaeus sole except, 425
  Bravest of all Paeonia’s band in arms. 
  Asteropaeus saw, and to the van
  Sprang forth for furious combat well prepared,
  But room for fight found none, so thick a fence
  Of shields and ported spears fronted secure 430
  The phalanx guarding Menoetiades. 
  For Ajax ranging all the ranks, aloud
  Admonish’d them that no man yielding ground
  Should leave Patroclus, or advance before
  The rest, but all alike fight and stand fast. 435
  Such order gave huge Ajax; purple gore
  Drench’d all the ground; in slaughter’d heaps they fell
  Trojans and Trojan aids of dauntless hearts
  And Grecians; for not even they the fight
  Waged bloodless, though with far less cost of blood, 440
  Each mindful to avert his fellow’s fate. 
    Thus burn’d the battle; neither hadst thou deem’d
  The sun himself in heaven unquench’d, or moon,
  Beneath a cope so dense of darkness strove
  Unceasing all the most renown’d in arms 445
  For Menoetiades.  Meantime the war,
  Wherever else, the bright-arm’d Grecians waged
  And Trojans under skies serene.  The sun
  On them his radiance darted; not a cloud,
  From mountain or from vale rising, allay’d 450
  His fervor; there at distance due they fought
  And paused by turns, and shunn’d the cruel dart. 
  But in the middle field not war alone
  They suffer’d, but night also; ruthless raged
  The iron storm, and all the mightiest bled. 455
  Two glorious Chiefs, the while, Antilochus
  And Thrasymedes, had no tidings heard
  Of brave Patroclus slain, but deem’d him still
  Living, and troubling still the host of Troy;
  For watchful[5] only to prevent the flight 460
  Or slaughter of their fellow-warriors, they
  Maintain’d a distant station, so enjoin’d
  By Nestor when he sent them to the field. 
  But fiery conflict arduous employ’d
  The rest all day continual; knees and legs, 465
  Feet, hands, and eyes of those who fought to guard
  The valiant friend of swift AEacides
  Sweat gather’d foul and dust.  As when a man
  A huge ox-hide drunken with slippery lard
  Gives to be stretch’d, his servants all around 470
  Disposed, just intervals between, the task
  Ply strenuous, and while many straining hard
  Extend it equal on all sides, it sweats
  The moisture out, and drinks the unction in,[6]
  So they, in narrow space struggling, the dead 475
  Dragg’d every way, warm hope conceiving, these
  To drag him thence to Troy, those, to the ships. 
  Wild tumult raged around him; neither