THE TAKING OF ILIOS 



The long delayed end of the laborious war and 

 the ambush, even the horse'* fashioned of Argive 

 Athena, straightway to me in my haste do thou tell, 

 O Calliopeia, remitting copious speech ; and the 

 ancient strife of men, in that war now decided, do 

 thou resolve with speedy song. 



Already the tenth year was rolling on and old 

 had grown the strain of war, insatiate of blood, 

 for Trojans and Danaans. With slaying of men the 

 spears were weary, the menace of the swords died, 

 quenched was the din of breastplate, rent and 

 perishing the coiled fabric of shield-carrj'ing baldricks ; 

 the shield endured no more to abide the hurtling of 

 javelins, unstrung was the bent bow, the swift an-ows 

 decayed. And the horses — some apart at the idle 

 manger, with heads bowed piteously, bewailed their 

 fellow horses, some mourned to miss their perished 

 charioteers. 



Low lay the son of Peleus and with him his 

 comrade * dead : over his young son Antilochus old 

 Nestor mourned : Aias with self-dealt wound had 

 unstrung his mighty form, and bathed his foeman's 

 sword " in the rain of frenzied blood. The Trojans, 



" In Iliad vii. Aias and Hector fight an indecisive duel 

 and on parting exchange gifts, Aias giving his belt and 

 receiving Hector's sword {I.e. 303), with which he afterwards 

 slew himself: Find. /. iii. (iv.). Soph. Aj. 815 f. 



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