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fell within a lance's length of the English general； so the men of Crete and
Pylos guarded the two princes with their spears。
There Paris was wounded in the thigh with a spear； and he retreated a
little way； and showered his arrows among the Greeks； and Idomeneus
lifted and hurled a great stone at Eurypylus which struck his spear out of
his hand； and he went back to find it； and Menelaus and Agamemnon had
a breathing space in the battle。 But soon Eurypylus returned； crying on
his men； and they drove back foot by foot the ring of spears round
Agamemnon； and Aeneas and Paris slew men of Crete and of Mycenae till
the Greeks were pushed to the ditch round the camp； and then great stones
and spears and arrows rained down on the Trojans and the people of
Eurypylus from the battlements and towers of the Grecian wall。 Now
night fell； and Eurypylus knew that he could not win the wall in the dark；
so he withdrew his men； and they built great fires； and camped upon the
plain。
The case of the Greeks was now like that of the Trojans after the death
of Hector。 They buried Machaon and the other chiefs who had fallen；
and they remained within their ditch and their wall； for they dared not
come out into the open plain。 They knew not whether Ulysses and
Diomede had come safely to Scyros； or whether their ship had been
wrecked or driven into unknown seas。 So they sent a herald to Eurypylus；
asking for a truce； that they might gather their dead and burn them； and the
Trojans and Khita also buried their dead。
Meanwhile the swift ship of Ulysses had swept through the sea to
Scyros； and to the palace of King Lycomedes。 There they found
Neoptolemus； the son of Achilles； in the court before the doors。 He was as
tall as his father； and very like him in face and shape； and he was
practising the throwing of the spear at a mark。 Right glad were Ulysses
and Diomede to behold him； and Ulysses told Neoptolemus who they were；
and why they came； and implored him to take pity on the Greeks and help
them。
〃My friend is Diomede； Prince of Argos；〃 said Ulysses； 〃and I am
Ulysses of Ithaca。 Come with us； and we Greeks will give you countless
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gifts； and I myself will present you with the armour of your father； such as
it is not lawful for any other mortal man to wear； seeing that it is golden；
and wrought by the hands of a God。 Moreover； when we have taken Troy；
and gone home； Menelaus will give you his daughter； the beautiful
Hermione； to be your wife； with gold in great plenty。〃
Then Neoptolemus answered： 〃It is enough that the Greeks need my
sword。 To…morrow we shall sail for Troy。〃 He led them into the palace
to dine； and there they found his mother； beautiful Deidamia； in mourning
raiment； and she wept when she heard that they had come to take her son
away。 But Neoptolemus comforted her； promising to return safely with
the spoils of Troy； 〃or； even if I fall；〃 he said； 〃it will be after doing deeds
worthy of my father's name。〃 So next day they sailed； leaving Deidamia
mournful； like a swallow whose nest a serpent has found； and has killed
her young ones； even so she wailed； and went up and down in the house。
But the ship ran swiftly on her way； cleaving the dark waves till Ulysses
showed Neoptolemus the far off snowy crest of Mount Ida； and Tenedos；
the island near Troy； and they passed the plain where the tomb of Achilles
stands； but Ulysses did not tell the son that it was his father's tomb。
Now all this time the Greeks； shut up within their wall and fighting
from their towers； were looking back across the sea； eager to spy the ship
of Ulysses； like men wrecked on a desert island； who keep watch every
day for a sail afar off； hoping that the seamen will touch at their isle and
have pity upon them； and carry them home； so the Greeks kept watch for
the ship bearing Neoptolemus。
Diomede； too； had been watching the shore； and when they came in
sight of the ships of the Greeks； he saw that they were being besieged by
the Trojans； and that all the Greek army was penned up within the wall；
and was fighting from the towers。 Then he cried aloud to Ulysses and
Neoptolemus； 〃Make haste； friends； let us arm before we land； for some
great evil has fallen upon the Greeks。 The Trojans are attacking our wall；
and soon they will burn our ships； and for us there will be no return。〃
Then all the men on the ship of Ulysses armed themselves； and
Neoptolemus； in the splendid armour of his father； was the first to leap
ashore。 The Greeks could not come from the wall to welcome him； for
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they were fighting hard and hand…to…hand with Eurypylus and his men。
But they glanced back over their shoulders and it seemed to them that they
saw Achilles himself； spear and sword in hand； rushing to help them。
They raised a great battle…cry； and； when Neoptolemus reached the
battlements； he and Ulysses； and Diomede leaped down to the plain； the
Greeks following them； and they all charged at once on the men of
Eurypylus； with levelled spears； and drove them from the wall。
Then the Trojans trembled； for they knew the shields of Diomede and
Ulysses； and they thought that the tall chief in the armour of Achilles was
Achilles himself； come back from the land of the dead to take vengeance
for Antilochus。 The Trojans fled； and gathered round Eurypylus； as in a
thunderstorm little children； afraid of the lightning and the noise； run and
cluster round their father； and hide their faces on his knees。
But Neoptolemus was spearing the Trojans； as a man who carries at
night a beacon of fire in his boat on the sea spears the fishes that flock
around； drawn by the blaze of the flame。 Cruelly he avenged his father's
death on many a Trojan； and the men whom Achilles had led followed
Achilles' son； slaying to right and left； and smiting the Trojans； as they ran；
between the shoulders with the spear。 Thus they fought and followed
while daylight