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great stone； and sent it against the helmet of Eurypylus。 He was
shaken； but he did not fall； he drove his spear through breastplate
and breast of Machaon； who fell and died。 With his last breath he
said； 〃Thou； too； shalt fall；〃 but Eurypylus made answer； 〃So let
it be！ Men cannot live for ever； and such is the fortune of war。〃
Thus the battle rang； and shone； and shifted； till few of the
Greeks kept steadfast； except those with Menelaus and Agamemnon；
for Diomede and Ulysses were far away upon the sea； bringing from
Scyros the son of Achilles。 But Teucer slew Polydamas； who had
warned Hector to come within the walls of Troy； and Menelaus
wounded Deiphobus； the bravest of the sons of Priam who were still
in arms； for many had fallen； and Agamemnon slew certain spearmen
of the Trojans。 Round Eurypylus fought Paris； and Aeneas； who
wounded Teucer with a great stone； breaking in his helmet； but he
drove back in his chariot to the ships。 Menelaus and Agamemnon
stood alone and fought in the crowd of Trojans； like two wild boars
that a circle of hunters surrounds with spears； so fiercely they
stood at bay。 There they would both have fallen； but Idomeneus；
and Meriones of Crete； and Thrasymedes； Nestor's son； ran to their
rescue； and fiercer grew the fighting。 Eurypylus desired to slay
Agamemnon and Menelaus； and end the war； but； as the spears of the
Scots encompassed King James at Flodden Field till he ran forward；
and 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 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 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 t