THE TAKING OF ILIOS 



city, like a hurricane, turbulent with the waves 

 of surging war. And therewithal Strife lifted her 

 head high as heaven and stirred up the Argives ; 

 since even bloody Ares, late but even so, came and 

 brought to the Danaans the changeful victory in war 

 and his help that is now for these and anon for 

 those. And on the acro}X)lis grey-eyed Athena 

 uttered her voice and shook her aegis, the shield 

 of Zeus ; and the sky trembled as Hera bestirred 

 her, and the heavy earth rang as it was shaken by 

 the three-toothed spear" of Poseidon. And Hades 

 shuddered and looked forth from his seat under earth, 

 afraid lest in the great anger of Zeus Hermes, con- 

 ductor of souls, should bring down all the race of 

 men. And all things were confounded together and 

 there was slaughter without discretion.* For some in 

 flight they slew standing by the Scaean " gates : one 

 leapt from his bed and, seeking his arms, fell upon a 

 darkling spear ; one hidden in his shadowy house 

 invited as his guest one whom he deemed to be a 

 friend : fool ! no friendly man -vvas he to meet but 

 got hateful gifts of his hospitality ; another over his 

 roof, while yet he looked not, fell by the swift arrow. 

 And some, their hearts weighed down with grievous 

 wine, in terror at the din, hasting to come down, 

 forgot the ladder ** and fell unwitting from the lofty 

 roofs and luxed and brake the bones of their necks, 



■woKifup- Tv<p\a. S' iK x^'-P^" l^e'Xi/ \f/vxa.ii ^irt Svafieyfwv (poirS, 

 darcLTOv re (pipei Tolaiv av daifiuiv diXr), Appian p. 76 (Bekker), 

 an elepiiant ran amuck and dv-^fxi t6p iv -roalv, ov diaxpiyoiv 

 in <f>l\iov fi TroXfiMov, and Byron's " friend, foe, in one red 

 burial blent" {CA. liar. in. 28. 9). 



* For a discussion of the gates of Troy see W. Leaf, Troy, 

 pp. 151 ff. 



* Like Elpenor in Horn. Od. x. 562 fF. 



623 



